This Ain't Kansas
by Dreams-of-Skies
Summary: Unscheduled OffWorld Activation! and a stranger steps through the Stargate. But who is this person? How do they know an IDC? And just what impact will they have on SG1?
1. Chapter 1

**Genre:** Angst, Family/Friendship

**Rating:** K plus

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Stargate_, _Stargate SG1_ or any of the canon characters that appear within this tale. I am merely borrowing them...because my OC decided she wanted to come play and didn't give me much choice in the matter!!!

**Author's Note:** Set in early Season 7.

* * *

"Unscheduled off-world activation."

The call echoed through the corridors of Level 28 as the alarms started to clarion call security teams to the Embarkation Room. The five people sitting at the table in the briefing room exchanged glances before filing down the short spiral stairway to the command centre.

"Who is it?" The oldest man rumbled.

"It's an IDC signal sir, but it…we're having trouble isolating it."

"Let me see." The woman swept into a chair and began tapping away at the keyboard. "Sir, I think I can clear it up enough to get identification."

Sure enough, the screen flashed with recognition.

"SG-2?" The grey-haired male frowned. "They're not off-world at the moment."

The bald man frowned. The tall dark-skinned male raised an eyebrow.

"Were not the members of the SGC recently tested for possible incursions?"

"Yes they were." The one addressed as 'Sir' growled. "Very well, open the Iris."

He nodded to his second who in turn nodded to the dark skinned man. The pair of them disappeared out the nearest exit, collecting weaponry from the airmen outside before positioning themselves just inside the blast doors of the Gate Room. The Iris unfurled, revealing the shimmering event horizon of a fully formed wormhole. As they watched, a figure clad in desert camouflage BDUs' and a full utility belt stepped onto the ramp, their face turned back towards their departure and a hand raised as if they were waving goodbye to someone. Hearing the sounds of numerous weapons being readied for fire, the figure turned, a moment of confusion upon their face before they spotted the two men in one corner.

"Jack! Teal'c! Told you I'd only be a couple of days." Removing her cap, the young woman ran her hands through her hair, tugging it loose from a band and ruffling the shoulder-length chestnut strands. "I really need to get the sand out of my hair. Can I grab a shower before debrief?"

She raised hazel-green eyes to meet two pairs of deep brown and smiled brightly before noticing all the weaponry.

"What? Did something happen?" Suddenly she strode forward, a blazing intensity to her movements. "Tell me!"

"Woah!" At the protest, she stopped, eyeing the room carefully. When she tried to take another step forward, off the ramp, the chime of a zat made her pause.

"Teal'c…" The look of confusion in her eyes was strangely familiar. "It's me…I swear. I only went to Abydos…nothing happened. It's really me."

"Colonel O'Neill!" The voice over the speakers didn't even make the men flinch although the young woman did look up briefly. "Please escort our guest to quarters."

"Yes sir!" O'Neill beckoned. "If you'll come with us."

The woman retreated a step, her head shaking slowly.

"No…no…there's something wrong here." She began to look around desperately, fear creeping over her face. "You know me. We've been working together for six years…Jack!"

As O'Neill moved forward, lowering his weapon and spreading his hands, from the opposite door the other members of his team came in. The woman turned, took one look and gasped in horror.

"No!"

She fell backwards onto the ramp, yelling.

"Can't be! It can't be! He's here! Impossible! Wrong, WRONG!"

In the blink of an eye she had ripped her own zat from the holster on her thigh, aiming at the newest arrivals. She fired just as a ball of electricity enveloped her, her shot hitting the wall as she crumpled to the floor.

"Thanks Teal'c." Major Carter stared down at the unconscious body. "I wonder who she is."

"I'm wondering how the hell she got SG-2's IDC." O'Neill quickly took the zat from the outstretched hand and checked for other weapons. Satisfied he straightened, studying the woman's profile. "Does she look a little familiar to anyone else?"

Teal'c also studied the woman's face.

"Perhaps."

"Erm, guys? Don't mean to interrupt or anything but," Behind them, Doctor Jackson was pointing at the burn mark on the wall just inches from his shoulders, his blue eyes wide. "I think she was aiming for me."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Please remember this is early Season 7 and don't yell too loud when a certain doctor appears...or at least let me get some earplugs first.

* * *

"I am not going to say anything." The tone was firm and unruffled. "Firstly because there's no point and secondly because I know it'll anger him even more if I refuse to co-operate."

The woman sat at the table, her arms crossed, glowering at O'Neill over the top of her wire-rimmed glasses. She arched one eyebrow at the older man and rolled her eyes as he sighed.

"Look, we just want to know who you are and how you got the IDC." He watched her, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "That's not a lot of information to be giving out – just a name and an explanation."

"Jack, you know who I am, you know where I got the IDC and I'm not playing _his_," She snarled up at the camera. "Stupid little games. How he managed to get into the SGC…I all ready know why he chose to do that…"

She trailed off, grief momentarily sweeping over her features before she composed herself once more and glared at the other occupant of the room.

"I don't know what he's done, Jack, but I swear – I'll fix this." She swept her dark hair behind her shoulders before sighing heavily, resting her arms on the table and letting her head drop to them, mumbling, "I will fix this. I will. Somehow…"

"Look, miss, I don't know what you think is going on here, but you've just walked into a top clearance military base, using a code that is only available to personnel of this base…and you are not one of the base personnel." O'Neill cocked his head to one side, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sure, seeing as you seem to have a basic knowledge of air force procedure, you can understand just how much trouble you are in right now."

The young woman tossed her head back, fixing her hazel eyes on the face of the man before her as she swept off her glasses and laughed bitterly.

"Me in trouble? Oh Jack…if I'm right…and I am praying so damn hard that this is a bad dream and I'll wake up back on Abydos in my bed roll…but if I'm right," She sighed, rubbing at her face tiredly, briefly pinching her nose before carefully placing her half-rims back upon her face. The she looked up, her eyes searching his face as if she were looking for something she'd lost. "If I'm right, Jack…the trouble is only just beginning."

"And exactly what do you mean by that?"

She shook her head, running a hand through her hair, tugging it back from her face for a moment. The profile she presented caught O'Neill's eye, his hands dropping to his side, the foot he'd propped up against the wall clumping to the floor. He blinked, watched her a moment as she gave in to her frustrations and pulled a face. Then O'Neill glanced up at the camera and shrugged, his expression telling those watching that he didn't have a clue what was going on. The picture froze him that way as Carter hefted the remote control and turned back to the table.

"As you can see, she doesn't want to tell us anything at all." Carter shook her head, her aqua eyes troubled. "It's odd but I keep looking at her and thinking I know her."

"Indeed." Teal'c rumbled, his dark eyes barely shaded with contemplation.

O'Neill, idly scribbling on his notepad, sighed as he looked up.

"Well, for all that she's oddly familiar, she's not giving us anything. It didn't matter what I said, she was refusing to speak to me." He glanced over at Daniel then. "And she seems to have a real problem with you."

"Well, I've never seen her before either." The archaeologist replied, his voice troubled. "I mean, her reaction was one of horror not fear or anger. I haven't done anything to elicit that sort of reaction from anyone."

Carter smiled at her team-mate, her aqua eyes scanning his face. Daniel recognised her concern, the corner of his mouth quirking in response.

"Daniel, none of us have done anything to be regarded with that intensity of negative emotion." The major's hand twitched as if she wanted to reach over and comfort her friend. "The most interesting thing about her reaction was that she acted as if she knew the base intimately _before_ she reacted against the immediate sight of Daniel and I walking into the Gate Room."

The senior officers both looked at her.

"So, what, we're assuming she was trying to shoot Daniel?"

"Jack…she could have mistaken me for someone else. We know, now, that she wears glasses." Daniel paused even as he adjusted his own eyewear. "She wasn't wearing them when she stepped through the Stargate."

Teal'c had sat quietly throughout the video viewing and the following conversation, his hands clasped in his lap. Now he leaned forward, placing his wrists on the edge of the table, his index fingers outstretched and touching at the tip.

"Are we sure she is of this world?"

The four humans all looked at him. The Jaffa warrior simply raised an eyebrow.

"T's got a point." O'Neill glanced at his friends and comrades. "Do we know _anything_ about her at all? Is she even human?"

"That's what I've got Doctor Fraiser checking right now." General Hammond shook his head. "Meanwhile people, I want to know where she got that IDC from and how she had equipment from this facility upon her person."

The other four all looked concerned, their eyes meeting briefly before another voice chimed, "I may have some answers for you, General."


	3. Chapter 3

In the holding room, watched over by two security guards via camera and with two guards outside the door, the unknown woman sat quietly. She had moved the table against the wall, along with the two chairs. Then she had carefully spread her jacket on the floor before settling cross-legged, palms flat on her knees.

Wondering what she was doing, why there were scraping noises in a room where there shouldn't be anything to scrape, one of the guarding airmen had opened the door and looked in.

"What are you doing?"

"Clearing space."

The guard eyed the prisoner warily.

"Why?"

"Because," Her chestnut hair flicking over her shoulder, the woman had continued her work. "I want to meditate."

"Meditate?"

The woman paused, turning to fix the airman with a withering stare.

"Yes, meditate. The practice of entering a dream-like state for the purpose of clearing ones mind or finding the centre of ones being." The thread of contempt was barely noticeable but it was enough to force the airman into standing a little straighter.

"Ma'am, I must insist that you desist in your actions…"

"I am not performing a threatening act, Airman. Nor am I interfering in the performance of your duty. I would rather sit and meditate on the floor and am therefore moving the furniture." The woman threw another glance over her shoulder, this one clearly meant to strip intellectual flesh from bone. "Of course, I could always have tried sitting on the table…"

The airman stared. The woman chuckled.

"No, didn't think so."

She had finished shoving the table out of her way then stretched.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like some peace and quiet for a while – at least until all hell breaks loose."

Normally the airman would have been concerned at that phrasing – they'd all heard Colonel O'Neill say it more than once and always when it was deserving – but from her lips, the saying was lost and tired. The guard waited while the prisoner settled herself to the floor before moving to leave.

"Airman Jacobs?"

Startled Jacobs turned. The woman had her eyes closed, her back straight, hands resting on her knees where her legs were crossed. A delicate smile drifted over her lips as her lashes lifted to fix steady hazel eyes upon the shocked face.

"If you see any of SG-1, Doctor Frasier or General Hammond, could you pass on a message for me? I know they're likely all in the briefing room right now and it'll probably be a while until you see one of them."

"Err…sure."

"Tell them that I understand and I don't blame them for what they must do. And I will get them back – no matter what."

Jacobs frowned, suddenly twitchy, even as he agreed. He turned to leave again.

"Kevin?"

"Yes ma'am?"

She had closed her eyes again, taken a couple of deep breaths. Then she asked him a question that shook him to the core.

When he moved back outside, he excused himself a moment to get some water. When he came back, his security partner looked at him carefully.

"You okay, pal? You look kinda shaky."

"I'm fine." Jacobs smiled wanly at him. "This is just another weird situation from this place – though the whole prisoner being so well behaved is different."

His partner laughed, turning back to his watch. Jacobs let his face lie for him, smiling lamely, even as his mind replayed the question he had been asked over and over again. He couldn't understand how the prisoner, a woman he had never seen before, could have known about his pregnant wife. He certainly couldn't understand how she knew that his wife was due to deliver the baby. But the real kicker, to his mind, was the way she had phrased her question:

_How's Marissa and baby Katerina? She's gotta be a month old now._

After all, his wife had narrowly avoided an early birth a month ago. But how did the woman know that? How did she know they had been thinking of Katerina as a possible girl's name? And how the hell, when even the parents didn't know, did she know that Jacobs Junior was a girl?

* * *

**Author's Note**: Would love to know what people are thinking at this point, so please leave a review! I do try to respond to people the first time I spot their names but apologies if I miss anyone!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Let's hear a "Hell Yeah" for Janet!!!

* * *

The petite dark-haired woman swept into the room, smiling at the assembled company as she settled into a chair next to Daniel. Immediately her expression shifted, a flutter of concern at his warm smile of welcome, before turning her full attention upon the general.

"Doctor Fraiser." Hammond greeted his chief medical officer. "Please, take a seat."

"Thank you, sir." Fraiser laid the open file in front of her, resting a palm on it as she began, "I took the opportunity whilst the intruder was recovering from Teal'c's shot to take some blood samples. I could only perform a cursory physical examination however."

"Give us what you have, Doctor."

"First appearances suggest that our guest is a perfectly healthy human woman."

O'Neill raised an eloquent eyebrow at her.

"I know, sir, that given her arrival it seems odd but I assure you – she is human. None of her blood samples show levels of naquadah and there is no sign of the protein marker we associate with ex-hosts."

"That at least is a relief." O'Neill sighed then glanced across the table as Carter shook her head gently.

"Sir, it only means that she isn't a Goa'uld spy."

"It is unlikely the Goa'uld would endeavour to infiltrate the SGC." Teal'c was looking past everyone else as he considered the options. "An unknown woman dressed in clothing similar to the Tau'ri would only arouse suspicion – they are aware of that fact. Unless it were to be a distraction for another attack."

"We've had no reports of sightings within the solar system and none of our allies have heard anything." Hammond leant forward. "Other explanations?"

"Well, sir," Carter's eyes darkened as she began extrapolating ideas. "If she isn't a member of the SGC or an agent, willing or not, of the Goa'uld, it's possible that she's not really supposed to be here."

"Where? The base? I think we figured that one out, Carter."

"No, sir. I mean, she's not supposed to be on this planet." She ignored the facetious tone behind the remark, far too used to her commanders' flippancy.

"Sam, she recognised Jack and Teal'c. She shot at us when we walked in the room." Daniel's brow furrowed. "She knew exactly where she was…"

He trailed off a moment, his eyes dropping as he made an intuitive leap, before they snapped up and glanced round the table, adding, "Or, at least, where she was supposed to be."

"What?" O'Neill dropped his pen onto the pad of paper just as Hammond queried, "Excuse me?"

"If I may?"

Everyone looked to Doctor Frasier who paused a moment, picking her words.

"As I said, a normal human being. However, there were some anomalies with the other tests I managed to perform."

"Such as?" Hammond leaned forward as the rest of SG-1 all looked at her carefully. Fraiser sighed.

"Well, really, in order to confirm my results I would need to run a full CT scan. However, within the limited time I had, I did manage to get something – whilst her brain function is normal, I did record some peculiar energy readings. I compared them to base records because there was something familiar about the abnormality I discovered. "

"An abnormality is familiar now?" O'Neill's dubious expression made Frasier half-smile.

"If you'll let me explain, Colonel, the electrical signature of her brain is similar to our own. However I have seen a similar spike in another brain pattern." Here the doctor sighed and looked over at Carter. "Actually, I've seen it in two patterns."

Carter frowned slightly as she stared into her friend's eyes. Then realisation dawned and she nodded.

"When my double and Kawalsky came here from the alternate reality through the quantum mirror – their brain patterns were similar to those of our reality but there was a tiny variance."

"Exactly."

"But I ordered that artefact destroyed four years ago." Hammond's eyes narrowed. Carter shrugged, her aqua gaze troubled.

"We found one mirror, sir, but it's possible that the race that created it had more than one. With the destruction of the primary mirror, the secondary could have been activated. This woman may have had a similar experience to Daniel." She glanced over at the dark-haired man who grimaced faintly and muttered, "Yeah…that was fun."

"Did not the woman say she had been on Abydos?"

"Excuse me?" Hammond eyed the Jaffa. Teal'c cocked an eyebrow.

"She stated that she had been on Abydos. If there were another quantum mirror in this reality, it would be impossible for it to have been on that planet."

Daniel was nodding slowly.

"I would have found it if it had been in the pyramid or near the village. And if Sam is right, a secondary mirror wouldn't have to be on the corresponding planet in this reality."

"So, what? She took a wrong turn on the quantum highway? She's someone's double? Doesn't that mean she's gonna start having an entopic escapade or something?"

Trying to suppress her smile, Carter glanced at her CO and corrected, "An entropic cascade failure, sir. And yes, if she is the double of someone here on Earth she will begin to suffer the effects very soon."

"Then what do we do about it?" Daniel jumped in, concern for the unknown woman etched across his face. "We can't just let her slowly die."

"She won't." Frasier's voice was low but she caught the astonished glances. Sighing, she continued, "This woman, as far as I am aware, doesn't exist in our reality."

No one failed to miss the sidelong glance she gave Daniel. He sat back, twisting to look at her fully.

"Janet?"

The doctor almost bit her lip, avoiding those cobalt eyes searching her face. She couldn't avoid the soft command from the General.

"Doctor Frasier."

"Security took fingerprints – they found no match on the U.S. databases. So I ran her DNA through the base system. There were no matches but I did come across a sample that had seven alleles in common."

Carter stared at her friend as she pieced the information together with Frasier's behaviour so far. As the answer struck her, shock spread over her fine features and the two women shared a pained look. It was O'Neill who lost patience first.

"What does that mean?"

"Please, Doctor." Hammond's voice was gentle. "Explain."

"Basically, sir, that means that someone on the base is a close relative, such as a father, brother or son. I'm guessing her age is in the mid to late-twenties so, if we assume that the timeline she is from runs parallel to our own, we're looking at a male in his mid to late thirties who would be her brother."

"But there must be fifty to a hundred men on the base that fulfil that description." Daniel frowned. "If that's the case, then who is it that you think…"

The looks he was getting from Frasier and from Carter suddenly sunk in.

"Oh."

"What?" O'Neill's eyes darted from one to the other. Carter chose to put him out of his misery, even as the other two men look a little confused.

"Sirs, if we are to believe the results are correct…"

"I ran them twice to be sure." Frasier added.

"Then, well," Carter smiled sympathetically across the table at her bespectacled friend. "It appears that the woman we have in custody is Daniel's sister."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Warning - Daniel's doing it again!!

* * *

The silence following that statement pulsed like a beating heart, muffling all sound until there was only a dull roar in everyone's ears. The six friends and colleagues all looked at each other before five pairs of eyes turned upon the young linguist. Daniel's eyes jumped from face to face, looking for anything to help make some sense of the situation. When he found the same confusion and shock as he felt, he sighed.

"That's impossible." He pressed his eyes shut, missing the concerned glances from his team.

"We all know your history, Doctor Jackson." Hammond watched the younger man carefully.

"But the DNA result is conclusive." Frasier offered a small smile of sympathy. "I know it's a shock but genetically there's no doubt."

Carter gave in to her earlier impulse and rested her hand lightly on that of her friend. Daniel glanced up, taking in the small smile and managed one in return.

"It's okay. It just seems really…" He groped for a term.

"Weird?" Across the table, O'Neill was watching the archaeologist, waiting for the inevitable response to the shock. "Bizarre? Hokey?"

"Jack." Daniel rolled his eyes and shot O'Neill a pained look. O'Neill responded with a half shrug and a 'What?!' expression. Hammond also looked as his 2IC, slightly disapprovingly.

"Well, I think we're all aware that it's impossible for this woman to be from this world, considering what we know." He pushed back from the table and rose. "SG-1, find out what you can. Doctor."

He strode from the room, both officers rising from their chairs until the office door shut. Then they slumped back and shared a concerned look.

"It is apparent that she has preconceptions of how the SGC should be."

"Agreed." Carter smiled at the Jaffa. "But until we know what happened we can't help her. It's finding out what went wrong, from her perspective."

"Any theories?"

"Not yet, sir. I'll need to run a diagnostic on the Gate computer – see if it picked up any anomalies on the wormhole when she came in. If we're lucky, I'll find something that will help – assuming that the Stargate system is responsible."

"And if you're not? If it's not?" O'Neill asked softly. Carter made a small sound of resignation.

"If we're not…then we'll need more information." She indicated the still frozen screen behind them. "And she's the only one we can get it from."

"And for that she has to talk to us." Daniel sighed again. "I could try…"

"Daniel, she tried to zat you!"

"Jack, we're assuming that at this point. She could have been reacting because she didn't expect to see me – we don't know!"

"It is possible that the Daniel Jackson of her world is no longer living." Teal'c steepled his fingers. "Would that not precipitate a violent response?"

Carter pulled a face.

"If I were suddenly faced with someone alive when they shouldn't be…" She shivered delicately. The other woman at the table reacted the same way.

"Violence in reaction to intense shock is not uncommon. Soldiers convinced that a comrade has died may attempt to attack them when they encounter each other again outside of the combat situation. Post traumatic stress has been known to be a factor in such behaviour and, when you consider the basics of human nature, it is a natural response to react to the irreconcilable with violence." Frasier gave a soft sigh as she shook her head. "It's possible that this young woman hasn't got a brother anymore and seeing Daniel alive and well…" She shrugged gently.

"We must consider that the Goa'uld are a formidable presence in her reality also." Teal'c raised an eyebrow, dropping his hands to his lap. "She may be expecting a trap using the image of one she cares for."

"But we won't know anything unless she talks to us." The major sighed, her aqua eyes catching those of her friends, each in turn.

O'Neill rolled his eyes. "Carter, you give it a go – she's all ready made it clear she won't tell me anything. Move to an observation room – me and Teal'c will keep an eye from there."

"Sir." Carter rose. "Janet? Could I get a look at those readings…?"

"Of course, Sam. I'll get copies for you." Frasier walked with her friend, leaving the three men to stare at each other.

"If she's my sister…"

O'Neill shook a finger at the younger man, determined to stop his friend before he began developing too much in the way of feelings for the woman.

"Ah!"

"Jack…she…"

"She's not your sister, Daniel." O'Neill softened his voice, letting his concern show in his eyes as he caught the younger man's eye. "You have to remember that – she is not **your** sister."

"Indeed, this woman is a result of an alternate reality." Teal'c's calm bass soothed the moment. "As such, she is not related to anyone upon this planet."

"But…genetically, she is." The younger man pinched his nose, his brow furrowing. The other two recognised this behaviour and neither of them wanted to see their friend put himself in the way of more heartache.

"A family is not born of genetics, Daniel Jackson – it is created through trust, care and shared experience." Teal'c let his face soften slightly, just enough to let Daniel see the concern he felt for the linguist. "She may share certain genetic traits but she does not know you as we do."

O'Neill's eyes had turned molten as his own concern flared at the expression on his young friend's face.

"Daniel," He began. "There's a lot we don't know right now. Let's give Carter a chance to get her to talk and find out what's happening with her world. She's just a guest here. She'll be going home and we'll…"

He paused, flicking a glance at the Jaffa who inclined his head. Finding the same thought was in both their minds, the colonel dropped his voice.

"We'll still be here."

Daniel looked up at the man he trusted above everyone else and nodded gently.

"I know. I know."

Then he closed his eyes, his fingers twitching as he tried to wrap his mind around what was happening. O'Neill studied him a moment before shaking his head and shoving himself up from the chair.

"Come on, Danny-boy. Let's get you some coffee while Carter tries to find out something that makes sense."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Updated twice in one day only because I was asked very nicely...here you go, bluedragon1836 - just because you asked.

**Warning:** Possible "squee" alert!

* * *

Carter walked into the interrogation room with a bright smile and two mugs of coffee.

"Here…I thought you might like something to drink."

The brunette eyed the mug suspiciously. Carter smiled even more.

"It's ok…it's just coffee."

"Yeah…right…_he_ wouldn't want me sedated anyway." The younger woman slowly wrapped her hands around the mug and took a sniff. The expression of coffee-induced bliss that spread over her face was eerily similar to the way Daniel always looked when he got his first mug of the day. It made Carter a little nervous.

"So…I'm guessing you know my name."

"Very funny, Sam." The woman took a sip from the mug and grimaced. "Ah hell! There's torture and there's plain cruelty."

"I'm sorry…?" Carter looked from the mug to those hazel eyes and back again.

"No sugar." Shrugging, the woman took another sip. "I know I'm your prisoner and _he_ has issues with me, but denying me my caffeine-sugar combo is not going to help."

Sinking into a chair, Carter began again.

"This is going to sound strange but although you are familiar with the base, and apparently its personnel, we have no record of you in our database."

"Psychological games aren't going to work either."

"I assure you, the situation isn't what you think it is."

The young woman glanced up at the major, her gaze just skimming over the rim of her glasses, the look of mild resignation odd coming from dark eyes.

"Isn't it? I'm a prisoner inside my own base, held by my own people, in an SGC that has been caught in a foothold situation." Her voice was calm, her demeanour that of someone who was expecting worse. "How can it not be what I think it is?"

Carter suddenly felt a wave of empathy for this unknown woman.

"I'm sorry that you feel you're a prisoner – it was our only option considering that you had a valid IDC."

"Of course, I had a valid IDC – I'm on SG-2, as you well know, Sam! We work together often enough!" With soft, despairing laughter, she flicked her hair over her shoulder. "Damn…and you can't even call me by name can you."

Carter flashed a glance up to the observation area. The three observers all returned blank faces. She sighed.

"That's because I don't know it. Wait!" She reached out as the younger woman snorted in disgust and turned away. "I know you think that there is something going on here that puts the SGC at risk. I know how I would feel in that situation. But, unfortunately, this isn't the SGC you think it is."

"No kidding."

The droll turn to the voice and the rolled eyes spoke more for O'Neill humour than Jackson. Glancing up, it was apparent the men had noticed it – both humans had narrowed their eyes in interest whilst Teal'c had cocked his head slightly to one side, flicking a glance between his comrades. The rest of the sentence made the apparent coincidence more pronounced.

"I go away for three days for a family matter and while I'm gone you guys, the friends of the Asgaard, allies to the Tok'Ra, toast of the planet if they ever find out just how many times we've saved their collective backsides…You go and let that body-snatching, over-bearing, fashion-show reject, pathetic excuse for a Goa'uld waltz in here and brainwash everyone."

Carter stared at their guest in astonishment, a look that went unnoticed as the younger woman closed her eyes, pinched her nose and muttered, "Have to stop spending so much time with Jack."

"I'm sorry…what Goa'uld?" Her aqua eyes full of confusion, Carter shot a glance up to her C.O. that he shrugged at. "We don't have any Goa'uld here."

"Yes, you do." That one sentence sounded so much like an exhausted Daniel, Carter flinched. The young woman opened her eyes, pain etched across her face, as she identified, "Apophis. Is here. And you know that all ready, Sam, because he's got you working for him."

"What!?" O'Neill's voice echoed through the speakers. "That slimy snake? How many times do we have to kill that…"

"Sir!" Carter glared at him through the window. Beside him Teal'c had raised a perturbed eyebrow as he considered the woman's words and just inside the door, Daniel had snapped upright from his carefully casual lean against the doorjamb, his face set in consternation. Hazel eyes met aqua and the young woman scrutinised the face in front of her.

"You're not Sam." She said calmly. "You really aren't my Sam."

Carter watched thoughts flittered through the agile mind, pieces of the puzzle being put together with increasing speed. She found it fascinating that the woman removed her glasses and pinched her nose when she frowned – another action Carter knew so well. She didn't want to interrupt but after a few minutes she had to say something.

"We believe you're from another reality."

"That would make sense. The little things…no one calling me by name, I haven't seen any of my team, the positions of the guards in the Gate Room. There was something off the whole time but I just assumed when I saw…" She trailed off, her eyes widening, her hands flying to her mouth as she gasped. "He's here. He's really here!"

Suddenly, the young woman burst into tears. Not knowing quite what to do Carter moved to the other side of the table and wrapped an arm around the thin shoulders.

"It's okay…it's okay…" She looked up at the observation area in distress. O'Neill shook his head and disappeared whilst Daniel looked down, his cerulean eyes bright with compassion. Carter continued to try and soothe the woman. "We'll do everything we can to get you back, if that's what you want…"

The young woman sighed, sniffed once then sat up. Carefully Carter backed away to her own chair as those expressive hazel eyes raked over her face.

"My name is Dariana. Doctor Dariana Nimah Jackson." She smiled, shrugging one shoulder. "Although everyone calls me Dari."

"Hello Dari." Carter smiled back and the two women sighed with relief. Dariana looked round to the observation area just as the door to the room opened and O'Neill strode in.

"Okay…what the hell was that about Apophis?"

"Jack…I mean, Colonel." Dariana cringed slightly. "I'm sorry. I jumped to conclusions based on the information I had at the time. I should have been more open but I'm so used to having to be on my guard."

"Well, I can understand that." O'Neill shrugged. "It's part of the job."

"That it is." Dariana grinned suddenly. "Thinking about it, you can't be the Jack I know – we haven't had a drop-down, drag-out row yet."

He stared at her, questions forming in his chocolate eyes, his mouth opening to ask something. The moment was lost as Teal'c stepped in and Dariana immediately rose, extending an arm.

"Tec'ma'tae, Teal'c."

"Tec'ma'tae." Teal'c clasped forearms with her, inkling his head in respect as she muttered a few words to him, smiling. They stepped apart, Dariana smiling whilst Teal'c's lips twitched slightly in acknowledgment of whatever she had told him. She glanced past the solid Jaffa just as Daniel edged round the door. They both froze. Their eyes met and for a moment no one knew what to do, what to say…the air stilled and everything seemed to pause as if the world itself was taking a breath. Then Dariana dropped her gaze and everyone breathed again.

"I'm sorry." She croaked, her voice a painful mix of shame and sorrow. "I'm so sorry."

Confusion swept over Daniel's face as he stepped forward, propelled by concern for this young woman whose face reminded him of his mothers.

"Dariana?" He moved to reach for her and she side-stepped smoothly away, almost ducking behind O'Neill.

"Please…don't…" She was struggling hard to remain composed, daring to glance up at him and smiling sadly. "I'm sorry…it's just…you're him but you're not him and I…"

Daniel shot O'Neill a pained look as the older man glanced down at the young woman. With a soft sigh, O'Neill looked to Daniel then Carter. The latter smiled encouragingly, her aqua eyes glancing to the younger man. O'Neill then glanced at Teal'c who simply looked back at him. Daniel, starting to feel like he shouldn't be there, started to back up but a look from O'Neill stopped him. The soft chuckle from the brunette woman made them all stop and look at her.

"I know what you're all doing." Dariana sighed. "It's all right, really. It's just a shock."

She brought her head up and smiled sadly at the team.

"You're just like them…all talking in glances so no one can hear you planning."

She looked at Daniel again, this time really looked at him, and smiled shyly. Instinctively he stepped in, opening his arms. Without a second thought, she slid her arms around his waist and buried her face in his shoulder, breathing in the familiar yet different scent. Her body began to shake and Daniel tightened his grip, lifting a hand to smooth her hair as he whispered soothingly to her in another language whilst her sobs were muffled by his shirt.

The team looked at each other. They still had more questions than answers but at least now they had someone willing to explain.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Apologies for the amount of dialogue - it's a good old debriefing session with some nice little snippets of info...

* * *

"I'm not sure where to begin…how much you want to know..."

Hammond looked kindly upon the young woman who sat to his left, her apprehension palpable.

"Perhaps from where you joined the programme?" Carter smiled encouragingly, deeply interested in where the two realities converged and where they separated completely. Hammond flicked a glance her way then looked at Dariana kindly.

"Start wherever is easiest for you, Doctor Jackson."

Dariana winced, glancing at Daniel.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm just Dari. My brother is the Doctor Jackson." She smiled, although the questioning looks she was getting made her want to duck and hide. "I may have a doctorate but when people started shouting 'Doctor Jackson' down the hall, they were getting disturbed when we both answered."

Carter had the sudden image of two dark heads peering round doorways, yelling 'Hello!' in the same exasperated-distracted tone. She couldn't quite prevent the smile but she managed to suppress the giggle that threatened to go along with it. O'Neill shot her a look and she quickly composed herself. Dariana continued.

"There's a nine year gap between me and my brother - I was conceived in the wake of a near-death experience our parents had in the Chicago Museum." She glanced at Daniel then, knowing all ready that he had lost his parents in a similar accident in New York. He smiled sadly, his eyes encouraging her to continue.

"When I was eight, our parents were killed in a car accident – Daniel was barely a year into a scholarship, Papa Nick was in South America…I got bounced from foster home to foster home for a few years, until I was old enough to be allowed to stay with Daniel at his university.

"Anyway, I went to University, gained degrees and later a doctorate comparing the architectural and mythological nuances present between the cultures of South America and Africa. At the age of twenty-two I had a lecture circuit based on my thesis and I was reasonably happy. I knew that Daniel was pushing some of his more outlandish theories…we'd playfully argued about them…and I admit I was worried. But I figured he'd manage – we always had. Then, the day before I was due in Montreal, I get this call from him and he's babbling on about some new discovery and how I really had to come and see this. The next thing I know I have this strict, stern man telling me to get to the nearest available landing site and get on the waiting plane for Colorado Springs."

"So, you were involved with the Stargate programme from the beginning?"

"I first met you, Jack, when Daniel dragged me into this room," She indicated the briefing room, "And showed me the Gate. You marched in and spouted off about being the man in charge – our little rows started there and then because I bristled, Daniel let you cut him down and then I let rip. The look on your face that this upstart nerdy girl was calling you a jerk – I didn't know if you were going to yell, hit something or start laughing!"

Dariana laughed self-consciously. O'Neill just looked at her, his expression considering yet a touch self-mocking. Teal'c's eyebrow went up and his lips curved in the barest of smiles. Carter and Hammond exchanged a glance that clearly said 'Bet he took that well.' Daniel put a hand over his mouth to hide the twitching smile.

"After that," Dariana winked at O'Neill mischievously. "We refused to even look at each other. Kawalsky and Feretti thought it was hilarious, of course, once they found out what I'd said. They jibed you mercilessly about it. Daniel tried to apologise for me but you wouldn't have it and I refused to even speak to you. Except when we were briefing and you asked a general question about the glyphs - I made sure I used all the proper and correct academic language to prove my point that just because you were older didn't make you wiser in everything."

She smiled briefly before her eyes darkened in memory, "Then you all disappeared through the Stargate for the first time. I waited for you all to come back, pacing back and forth, with only my thoughts for company, although Catherine tried her best to comfort me. I remember when the Gate opened and the team all stumbled out onto the ramp. I raced downstairs, all ready prepared for the ribbing and joking I was expecting from the fly-boys. Instead I slammed straight into Jack…and he looked so serious, so…lost. That's when I knew – Daniel wasn't coming back."

O'Neill and Daniel looked at each other, remembering the parting on Abydos where Daniel had argued he had nothing to go back to and O'Neill had grudgingly wished him well in his life. The older man wondered if he would have let the archaeologist stay if a sister had been waiting back on Earth. The archaeologist wondered if he would have allowed himself to give up his life if he had had a sister back on earth. Even as the thoughts wandered through their minds, chocolate eyes met cobalt and they both knew that it wouldn't have mattered. They turned back to listen to Dariana.

"Jack debriefed us all in this room. Ferretti and Kawalsky kept looking at me, kept trying to get near but I didn't want to know. Of course, they knew something I didn't." Dariana rubbed the tip of her nose as a pained smile tried to catch at her lips. "The three of them knew why Daniel hadn't come back, they knew he was fine, although they didn't tell me until Apophis first stepped through and abducted an airwoman."

Even though she didn't go into details, swept over months of grief in a few words, it was obvious that the pain of the lies was still a burden she carried. It was there in the way her voice trembled, the way her eyes softened. Daniel wanted to reach across the table to her, provide her with some support but he all ready knew that she wouldn't accept it. She had accepted his comfort in the holding room but since then she had continuously put one of the other team members between them, like she was afraid he would burn her.

Hammond flicked a glance at O'Neill. The colonel rose, grabbed a fresh mug of coffee from the side and plonked the mug in front of Dariana. Gratefully she wrapped her hands around it, flashing him a subdued smile.

"Please, Dariana, continue."

The young woman glanced at Hammond, her eyes wavering a little as she tired to gather her thoughts together again.

"I'm sorry Geor…Sir." She screwed her face up in consternation. "It's just a little odd."

"I can understand that, Dariana, and if you need to take a break…"

"No." She shook her head. "No. It's fine. But, if you don't mind, I won't go into details."

"That's ok." O'Neill half-smiled at her. "You just tell us what you can."

"We're listening." Carter chimed in. Dariana smiled gratefully at both of them.

"Okay…" She took a deep breath. "We all got called back. I, of course, didn't know anything. Yet I knew from the guilty expression on Jack's face when I walked into the briefing room that something was going on. When he tossed the box of tissues through the Gate…well…then I _knew_ something was going on. Imagine my surprise when the wormhole opened up and the box came back empty…and just imagine how angry I was.

"At that point, there was no question of who was going to go and check on the Abydonians – Jack headed the team, Feretti and Kawalsky were the back-up, Sam joined because of her science and I bulled my way in. I was so ready to rip into him when I saw him, my first breath of alien air meant to be solely for screaming at him…then I saw Sha're." The smile that drifted over the young woman's features was so full of sisterly love and forgiveness that despite the fact she wasn't talking about him, Daniel felt a little relieved. "And I understood. Daniel would never have been happy on Earth – seeing him standing there, smiling with everything in him, looking down at her, I couldn't be angry. And I couldn't fault him.

"We had our reunion, I got formally adopted into the family, and Sha're and I stayed in the pyramid to talk whilst everyone else went down into the catacombs to look at some discovery Daniel had made. She made me a gift of robes which she was showing me how to wear correctly when the Stargate activated and we ran. I shouted down the radio but all I got back was static. Skaara wanted to fight, Sha're wanted to flee…I chased her out of the pyramid, demanded it of her. It was a good thing I had because Apophis and some Jaffa came through the Gate, started rounding people up, looking at the women, looking at the men. When they grabbed Skaara, I couldn't let them get away with it. I stepped from hiding, raised my voice and started to inform this being that he was upon protected ground, that the Gods would be angry at his defilement of their temple, that he would suffer their wrath for his impudence at defying them."

"I bet that went down well." Daniel muttered. Dariana half-sighed, one eyebrow quirking as she pinched her nose.

"You could say that. He made a comment about how defiant I was, how I could be what he was looking for. Next thing I know, I've got the worst case of pins and needles and static shock I've ever known and he's laughing. What happened after that, I don't know. I woke up on a mound of cushions, my hair elaborately styled, my clothes exchanged for fine cloth and another twenty or so women in the room, all terrified."

"But you got out?"

"Yes, Jack. You and the team came to Chulak. You got caught somehow and thrown in the main cell. I got thrown in there shortly after you did – I'd tried to stab one of the guards and Apophis thought some time with the masses might weaken my resolve – he had decided I was too strong-willed for his Queen but he had commented that he might have use for me anyway." She shuddered then continued, "So we got together and started planning, although being without any weapons we weren't all that hopeful. Then we managed to get Teal'c to listen to us - I'd all ready been spouting at him about how wrong this was, with a little success, and once Daniel showed him where we were from and Jack had thrown his impassioned plea into the mix, we had an ally. We escaped that day…but Apophis still made it hard on us…"

She paused, hanging her head sadly.

"He still got Skaara. There was nothing we could do to stop it. We got everyone else out, I managed to dodge the fate, but Skaara didn't. So Klorel is currently running around causing problems. Amonet…well…she's dead. We caught up with her a couple of years ago, when she was pregnant. We managed to get the host to the Tok'ra, they performed surgery and the last I heard the host was happily settled on Abydos with a new husband and their own child on the way."

Seeing the speculative look on Carter's face, Dariana added, "The surgery caused a miscarriage. Which was a good thing really – the poor kid would have ended up going mad under the weight of the full genetic memory of the Goa'uld. Plus we're almost in possession of a symbiote sedative, derived from the poison the Tok'ra developed. "

Hammond sat up a little at that.

"A sedative?"

"Yes. Don't you have one?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** Only Dariana is mine...everyone else I've borrowed. Just thought I'd remind everyone...

* * *

The other five people at the table looked at Dariana in disbelief.

"No." Carter was almost bouncing in her chair as the implications exploded through her mind. "We have the poison but we haven't even considered creating a sedative from it."

"Really?" Dariana grinned madly. "Wow. Maybe we should swap notes!"

Carter smiled brightly.

"That would be great!"

"Major, Doctor." Hammond's quiet request brought them back to a serious mien. "Please, tell us a little about how you came to the idea of the sedative."

Suddenly her demeanour changed from nervous young woman to seasoned lecturer as Dariana explained.

"We were driven to use the symbiote poison when Bastet threatened the Beta site – we don't know how she found it, probably just wanted the planet for her own uses and didn't realise we were there. It wasn't what we wanted to do but the poison was our only option considering we were a research base. The poison was very effective but the by-product of loosing the hosts and Jaffa was unacceptable. We wanted to recover all the hosts that had a chance of living their own lives – the poison didn't give us that. And we didn't want to be responsible for annihilating an entire race of people either. So we called in the Asgard, the Tok'ra and our own medical team and started working on a powerful sedative that would give the host freedom to talk to us, interact with the world, without the symbiote controlling every action, backwards engineering it from the poison."

"Doc Frasier should hear this." murmured O'Neill. "She's been in knots over loosing the hosts."

"She will receive a full report based on any information our guest is willing to share with us, Colonel."

"Of course, sir." O'Neill turned back to the discussion whilst also keeping an eye on everyone else.

Teal'c was watching the young woman. In turn, both Daniel and O'Neill were watching him – if he showed any sign that he was concerned, it was something to take very seriously. Daniel was also watching Dariana closely and O'Neill could see the veiled pain in those cobalt eyes as a small gesture or a movement in her face brought back memories. Then something Dariana said gained his full attention.

"Sam and Jonas think we can have a working test sample in a couple of weeks."

O'Neill exchanged glances with the others at the tale.

"Jonas?"

Dariana smiled.

"Yeah, Jonas. As in Quinn. As in from Kelowna, well, Langara. He's been with the SGC for a couple of years now, part of SG-2." She shrugged. "We make a pretty good team."

The four members of SG-1 all looked at each other. Dariana glanced from face to face, her expression wary. It was Carter who gave a tiny sigh.

"Well, sirs, we knew that there would be differences simply because Dari exists in that reality."

"But it seems the differences go much deeper than we anticipated." Hammond rumbled in his quiet observation.

"Indeed." Teal'c tilted his head to look Dariana in the eye. "You have been part of the Stargate programme for six years. You are a member of SG-2 as well as Jonas Quinn who has been with the SGC for two years. Skaara was taken as a host by Klorel but has not been recovered. Sha're was not taken by the Goa'uld."

He paused as Dariana nodded in agreement with each statement. Then he raised one eyebrow, steepling his index fingers as he asked, "You have encountered the Tok'ra – how?"

"Erm…" Dariana was clearly taken aback by the sudden intense interest. "Jolinar. She and Sam were joined at one point."

Carter tried to ignore the flashes of memory that came with that statement. Dariana noticed the pain on her face and reached across to wrap her fingers around that of the airforce major.

"I'm sorry – you knew her here didn't you." The two women smiled at each other sadly before Carter nodded and Dariana sat back again. "Then you probably had the same experience."

"It was…" Carter swallowed and Dariana supplied the rest of the sentence, "Difficult."

"That's one word for it." The blonde tried to smile and failed, ducking her head so no one could see the flash of pain in her eyes. Beside her she could feel Teal'c tense slightly in reaction to her distress and she instinctively knew the other two men had done the same. As always, knowing that she had their support strengthened her.

"Perhaps that should be a discussion for the two of you on another occasion?" Hammond caught the grateful flicker across the major's face as both women nodded in assent.

"What happened with Kelowna?" Daniel suddenly asked, his tone seemingly casual but the underlying tension was immediately picked up by his friends. Dariana just frowned, seemingly oblivious to the subtle movements of three of the team as they reflexively tensed in anticipation of bad news.

"SG-1 headed over there. When Daniel started to get involved with the history, he asked I join them. So SG-2 went along. We met Jonas and got acquainted with the political situation and the naquadria discovery. Found out about the desire to find out just what this element could do so Sam offered to check it over. When she discovered the amount of energy it could…well, the Kelownans started getting excited, talking about weaponry. Once that started, we threatened to leave and take all our equipment and skills with us – equipment and skills they were desperate to make use of. With Jonas working at them from the inside and Daniel and I nagging at them from the outside, we got the leaders of the three nations to the negotiation table."

Dariana grinned.

"Jonas came to work with the SGC because he didn't want to be used as a figurehead by his people. Because he had been so prominent in helping to bring a Peace Treaty into effect, everyone wanted a piece of him. We offered him a sanctuary of sorts."

Her voice softened a little.

"He's been brilliant. Throws himself into everything, desperate to help wherever he can. And he's never pushed too far – he respects the history the rest of us have and just wants to be there as we create more of it. He's a good man."

"Yes. Yes he is." Daniel found himself smiling as he considered the Jonas they'd known. Glancing round, he noticed that Carter was smiling too whilst both O'Neill and Teal'c had slightly amused expressions, the tension dissipating as quickly as it had manifested. Dariana looked at them.

"You've met him here, haven't you."

"Jonas joined the SGC a year ago after some events on his homeworld forced him to make a choice. He stayed with us for a year until the Kelownan people begged him to go back." Carter deliberately glossed over what the 'events' constituted. "He's now a member of the council there, trying to keep the three nations working together rather than tearing each other apart."

Dariana nodded thoughtfully, murmuring, "Some things, not everything though…"

Hammond looked at her carefully, noticing the tired shadows under her eyes. He caught O'Neill's eye, a tiny movement of his eyebrow warning the colonel of his intentions.

"I think we should take a break. The five of you could probably do with having something to eat." He pushed back from the table. "Go ahead…get some rest Dariana, and if I haven't said it all ready: Welcome to the SGC."

"Thank you, General." She shook his hand and waited until he retreated into his office before turning to the other four with a hesitant expression. "Do you think he was annoyed I nearly called him by name?"

"What?" O'Neill waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "No. Hell, if that's the way you and your General are, then I'm sure he understood that."

"Besides," Daniel continued. "You're going to say and do things that are natural for you in a familiar surrounding – we can accept that and we can work around them. Don't worry about upsetting anyone – it won't happen."

The two Jacksons smiled at each other. O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c exchanged glances at the similarity between them. Then O'Neill drummed his hands on the table, standing to look over his team with a smile.

"Come on, campers – let's get lunch."


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** I seem to have a theme in these here stories...count how many people I resurrect this time around... Oh, and I don't remember a certain lieutenant ever having a first name, so I gave him one. Tough noogies if'n ya don't like it!

* * *

In Another Reality

"What do you mean she's not there? Where else is she gonna be? All you had to do was take her the papyrus and bring her back with it. She's gotta be there."

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Kawalsky snarled at the computer screen. The officer of SG-6 winced, bracing himself against the sand-blasting winds.

"I'm sorry sir, but there's no sign of her. Kasuf swears she left here on schedule – saw her step through the Gate himself."

"This is ridiculous." Kawalsky swore under his breath. "Fine. Take a look at the DHD, see if it's possible she got bounced somewhere else."

"Will do, sir. We'll report in again as per orders."

The wormhole shut down, the video link disconnecting, leaving the irate colonel staring at his own reflection.

"Ah, shit."

Sitting at his console, looking somewhat nervous, Harriman glanced up.

"What are you going to tell SG-1, sir?"

Kawalsky checked his watch and sighed.

"I dunno yet, but I've got an half an hour to come up with something. And I need to tell my own team."

"Well, if you don't mind me saying so sir – Good Luck."

With a wry smile, Kawalsky turned away to head to the lockers.

"Thanks Sergeant. I'm going to need it."

He strode out of the control room, his mind racing. It was impossible for a member of his team to vanish between stepping through one Gate and emerging from another – he was sure it was. Then again, he had seen some amazing things in his time with the Command and every time he had thought something was impossible in the past six years, someone had proved him wrong.

Just look at when O'Neill and Carter had ended up in the North Pole. Before then he'd have said that there was no way the exiting wormhole could switch Gates. And he'd have said that no one could come back from a death blow but Jackson had managed it on the mothership courtesy of the sarcophagus. Course, the biggest one had been that the only good snake was a dead snake…then they'd met the Tok'ra and he had to admit that Lantash and Selmac were pretty good folks.

"Face it, Kawalsky – you're better on land – get blown outta the water too much."

He was laughing at himself as he rounded the corner and bumped into another of his team.

"Sir!"

The younger man juggled the mugs he was carrying a moment, successfully managing to keep all the coffee within the confines of the ceramic.

"Planning on sharing out that liquid gold?" Noticing one was his own mug, Kawalsky relieved the lieutenant of his burden. "Who's getting the third there, Lieutenant?"

Lieutenant Matthew Elliott grinned.

"I figured that Dari would be marching in any second, growling about sandstorms, so thought I'd get her a sweetener. Give her just enough time to get cleaned up before SG-1 and Jonas get back."

"Yay-ah." Kawalsky tried not to put too much of his concerns into his tone but despite being the newest member of the team, Elliott had been quick to learn his commanders' moods.

"There's been a problem, hasn't there sir."

"You could say that, Lieutenant. Doctor Jackson hasn't come back from Abydos."

Elliott frowned, his lips twitching slightly as if to smile.

"She's staying longer?" He shrugged. "Fair enough. I mean, sir, she does have family there, and we are on stand down until Doc Frasier gives us both clean bills of health."

Reminded of the healing staff blast to his shoulder, Kawalsky grimaced.

"Yeah…that's why I'm so damned bored." He shook his head then looked his 2IC in the eye. "Elliott, she's not staying longer on Abydos. She's not even _on_ Abydos."

"Sir?"

"Look, I'll explain everything I know when we've got SG-1 back here with our borrowed genius. Meanwhile, I need to call the General." Shaking his head again, Kawalsky sighed heavily. "Damn…Hammond really wanted this afternoon to be with Kayla."

At the questioning look he received, he added, "His granddaughter – she's gotta have a baby tooth removed."

The younger man winced in sympathy.

"Well, Colonel O'Neill will be back shortly, right? Maybe we should let him know what's going on before we call the General." Elliott gave a little shake of his head at his C.O.'s sharp look. "You know, sir, just so we've got all our facts and information straight. It could take a couple hours to get the theories and whatnot collected together, right?"

Kawalsky chuckled.

"Elliott, you are learning far too much from us older folk."

Grinning, the lieutenant raised his mug in a salute to his officer.

"Just following the footsteps of the best, sir!"

"Yeah?" Kawalsky gave his junior officer an amused smirk. "Well, in that case, a little advice – don't pick up Jack's temper."

"Sir?"

Shaking his head, all amusement gone, Kawalsky stared into his mug, his tone almost funereal as he said, "Jack is going to blow."


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: Here's how this is gonna work - If there ISN'T a header, assume the chapter is set in the same reality as the previous chapter. So, no header on this chapter means it's Alternate Reality.

* * *

As Kawalsky had expected, O'Neill nearly exploded.

"She's WHAT!?"

"Jack, calm down."

"Kawalsky…Daniel's sister has disappeared. How the hell am I supposed to stay calm about that?" O'Neill strode round, one hand gesticulating wildly. "For crying out loud! How the hell can she not be there?"

The members of SG's 1 and 2 were sitting in the briefing room, having dismissed the various airmen in the immediate area. Shooting Major Carter a look requesting back-up, Kawalsky sat back in his chair.

"Jack, SG-6 scoured the immediate area. They're even volunteering to go the nearest three worlds she coulda been bounced to. But as far as Abydos is concerned, she's not there." Kawalsky spotted the question before O'Neill could form it and added, "Kasuf saw the address – it was definitely for here."

"Sir," Carter's voice worked its usual wonders at stopping the colonel from pacing wildly. "I've had a look at the diagnostic readings from the DHD on Abydos – at least what there is so far. It appears that the Stargate was working perfectly normally. There were no abnormalities on our side either. However I would like permission to go and have a look at the DHD myself."

"You think that you can find out more?" Dark eyes fastened on her face and she nodded.

"Yes. With Jolinar's knowledge of crystals and my experience with the technology, I believe I might be able to perform a more thorough examination than SG-6 could." She flicked a glance at the other blonde seated at the table. "I'd like for Jonas to join me."

When O'Neill swung his attention to the Kelownan, Quinn kept his face sober, not betraying the nervousness he still felt whenever he was centre of the colonel's attention.

"I've been studying Goa'uld technology since I got here, Colonel, and the Tok'ra have been very open with letting me look at the various pieces they have available. I even managed to memorise the detailed plans that you drew under the influence of the Ancient Repository."

"Between us, we should be able to find anything that could have caused Dari to disappear en-route, however remote the possibility." Carter shook her head. "But until we take a look, I can't offer any theories at all."

The group fell silent a moment. Quietly, Teal'c suggested, "Could Apophis be responsible?"

Painfully, O'Neill sank into a chair, the lines of his body showing his exhaustion and concern plainly.

"I hope not." He sighed, rubbing at his face.

"It's bad enough we didn't get that snake the last time we met…" Kawalsky snarled, halting at the slight gesture from his friend.

"We weren't in a position to go after him, Chuck, and you know it."

The use of his nickname worried the ex-Special Ops man and he studied his friend carefully. It didn't escape his notice that both Teal'c and Carter were also studying their C.O. intently. O'Neill rubbed at his forehead, glancing up as he suddenly became aware of five pairs of eyes staring at him.

"SG-1, you're dismissed to get cleaned up. Go take a break, kids. But be prepared for Hammond to give the order once SG-6 gets back from Abydos."

The scientist and the Jaffa looked at each other as they rose, both pausing slightly before leaving the room. Then O'Neill turned his attention to the lieutenant.

"Elliott? Go get a check over by Frasier – if she says you're okay for active duty then consider yourself back on."

"Yes sir!"

"Kawalsky – same to you."

"You sure, Jack?"

O'Neill sighed.

"Go on. The pair of you – we may need every hand we can get and I'd rather that we all went on guard duty of the boffins for this one."

The men of SG-2 swept from the room. It took a moment for O'Neill to remember there was one more body at the table. Slowly he tilted his head to look down the empty chairs to where Quinn sat, head hanging.

"Jonas."

"Sir."

"Whatcha still sitting there?"

Quinn raised pain-filled eyes, his voice subdued.

"Dari…" He began, swallowing. "It's just...if Apophis…you know what he thinks of her and..."

"He doesn't have her, Jonas. He'd have been calling and gloating by now if he did."

The two men looked at each other.

"Colonel…"

"How many times, Jonas?" O'Neill rolled his eyes.

"Sorry." With a wry smile, Quinn began again. "Jack, we were both there. If we have to go after him, if we have to go on a hunt for Apophis, you know I'm there, right? That I have to be there?"

O'Neill smiled coldly, his own pain reflected in deep brown eyes.

"You and me both, Jonas. You and me both."

They stood almost as one, their thoughts matched on this issue if never on any other. As they headed out the door, O'Neill glanced at his comrade from the corner of his eye.

"We got another hour until SG-6 is due back. We'll have another hour at least doing the debrief. Then I'll call the General."

Quinn nodded absently, nearly leaping out of his skin when a heavy hand clamped onto his shoulder. He quirked an eyebrow at the older man who grinned.

"Come on, we've got an hour – dare ya to whup me at _Need for Speed_."

The younger man grinned back.

"Prepare to be whupped, colonel sir."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** ANGST ALERT!!! I apologise to any reader who gets to the end of this chapter and hates me even a little for what I do to this girl...

* * *

Canon Reality

Another day of avoiding talking. Another day of dodging uncomfortable questions and inquisitive looks. Aqua eyes seeking to laugh and joke with her. Dark eyes assessing her every move for threat. Chocolate eyes studying her, questioning who she is, where she has come from. Cerulean eyes…cerulean, Caribbean Sea eyes, bright with compassion, shining with the desire to know, to understand. But they weren't real, weren't the eyes she knew so well – there was always something missing in them.

Dariana had begged to have some rest, saying she had a headache and just wanted to lie down after yet another session trying to explain her life. The team had offered to bring her something to eat, but she gracefully declined, promising that she would get some food later. Teal'c had escorted her to her guest quarters - a choice of companion she knew had been made for her comfort. She thanked him, closing the door gently behind him as he left before leaning against it, her forehead pressed to the cool metal.

_This is a nightmare – a week long nightmare. _

She took a deep breath. When it burnt her lungs, she forced herself to take another, slower, flattening her palms on the door to stop her nails from biting into the heels of her hands.

_I wish Sam was here…she'd know what happened._ The thought drifted through her mind before she could stop it. The strangled laugh dragged from her throat startled her before she could identify it. Rolling to put her back to the door, she wrapped her arms around her waist and battled to keep the bubbling in her stomach from breaking free.

_I might wake up yet…this could all be a dream brought on by a concussion or a mild catatonia due to stress._

She bit down hard as her jaw began to ache.

_I bet I'm in the infirmary with Janet fussing round me and the whole gang buzzing through every five minutes to check I'm still breathing._

She squeezed her eyes shut as her breathing tried to outwit her.

_I must have gotten caught by the sandstorm, hit my head. Kasuf would've called Jack, told him what happened. They'd have come and got me, brought me home, fixed me up with Janet. I bet they're taking turns to watch over me, all of them._

Slowly the lack of blood and feeling to her knees registered, sliding her down to the floor.

_That's exactly what's happened – I've hit my head, I'm in the infirmary, this is just a horrid dream cooked up by my subconscious because of my guilt and fears and the stress I've been under._

Carefully she edged her arms upwards slightly, cradling her ribs as they began to tingle with the effort of keeping her breathing steady.

_This isn't real. This is not real. I am not here…I do exist, I do have a place, I am part of this world…I am real. This isn't. I'm going to wake up. I will._

Her face felt numb, the skin prickling with both intense cold and searing heat. Reaching up she found her cheeks were slick with tears. She stared at the glistening liquid on her fingertips before her eyes lost focus.

_Dreams can cry, dreams can cry. That isn't proof of anything. It isn't._

Her whole body started to shake.

_I'm dreaming. I have to be dreaming…please…_

A rough bark of sound sent her scrabbling away from the door and toward one corner of the room. Wedging herself in, her hazel eyes scanned the room wildly, looking for the origin of the noise even though it had been joined by a harsh rattling that echoed through her ears.

_I'm going to open my eyes and there'll be Jack, standing there, grinning at me like a lunatic, telling me I gotta stop doing this to myself. And Jonas behind him, concern making that grin of his vanish like it never existed. Charles will stick his head round the door, laughing at me, yelling that I have to get my ass up outta bed, how we supposed to be kicking Goa'uld butt if I'm laying low. Elliot will have your favourite mug waiting, coffee just as you want it, little suck-up sneaking it round the doc._

She pressed her eyes shut, pulling her knees tight to her chest, trying to ignore the heavy breath that seemed to be right in front of her.

_Think, think…Sam. Sam'll be smiling at you, shaking her head, saying that you're as bad as Daniel was, glad you're ok. Teal'c will just look at you, that little look he gives when you've worried him again. And Janet…Janet will lean over, check your temperature, give you a little lecture that next time you should stay indoors rather than running around outside trying to tie everything down when you don't have to. They'll all be there – just gotta open your eyes and this'll be over._

Slowly she opened her eyes. The dark grey room with its dark wood table, bedstead and chest of drawers warped inwards at her, the walls bulging in as if something were trying to break through to grab her. She felt a sharp prick of pain in several places on her arms and glanced down – she'd driven her nails into her own skin, tiny dots of blood welling up, crimson gems against her recently tanned skin. She felt what little blood was left drain from her face.

_Dreams can feel real…they can…I'm sure they can…_

Then she caught sight of the book on the table. Even from across the room she could see what it was – a journal. A light blue journal. Just like the one she knew back to front and upside down. The one that was supposed to be in her pack. And she knew whose writing would be inside it. That's when she suddenly realised that the noises were coming from her – her lungs were burning with the air being dragged in then almost coughed out. Her mouth was dry, her ribs aching from the repressed shudders of her body, her arms throbbing where she had scratched herself.

"It's real. It's real. It's real. It's real." She didn't even recognise her own voice as she began to chant, finding her fingers tracing over the front cover of the innocuous little book without knowing how she'd gotten to the table.

How she managed to open the front page when the book seemed to jump all over the table, she wasn't sure, but those first few words were ones she knew by heart:

**I have found something in which I can believe, something that proves every theory I had. And I have found wondrous things because of it. I'm no longer alone the way I felt I was. I have her, my wife, my Sha're. And I have never felt happier.**

The sobs were soundless now, the tears scorching her face, as she crumpled to the floor, the book clasped to her heart, a new chant in a child-like wonder:

"He's real. He's real. He's real. He's real."

With that, Dariana Jackson allowed her grief to swallow her, knowing, hoping, that this time there would be a familiar beloved face to pick up the pieces.


	12. Chapter 12

**Rating:** K plus, for the angst levels and occasional curse.

* * *

"What do you make of her, T?"

"She appears to be no more than she has stated."

O'Neill looked at his friend askance.

"T, that doesn't help."

The Jaffa warrior raised an eyebrow, inclining his head slightly.

"I do not know what else you wish me to say regarding this matter, O'Neill."

Ruffling his greying hair, O'Neill sighed.

"Look, if you think there's something dodgy about someone then I'm listening, right." He waited for the flicker of acknowledgement before ploughing on. "There's something not right here – don't ask me what, I haven't the foggiest, but there's just something about the situation I don't like."

Teal'c studied the man he considered a brother, a faint light of amusement in his dark eyes.

"You are a cautious man, O'Neill."

His brow furrowed, one eyebrow quirked and his eyes narrowed, O'Neill shifted in his chair to face his team-mate.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Teal'c was saved from answering as Carter slid her tray onto the table and O'Neill's attention immediately swung her way.

"Carter, impressions."

She looked at him.

"Good morning to you too, sir."

With a grimace, O'Neill replied, "Sorry, Major. Morning."

Carter smiled, exchanging amused glances with Teal'c.

"Well sir, Dari's experience of joining the Stargate programme is perfectly plausible." The major picked up her fork, fluffing the scrambled egg on her plate. "As is her explanation of why Jonas is working with the SGC."

"Her indications towards how the SGC in her reality met the Tok'ra are also quite believable although she has not confirmed or denied meeting with any of those Tok'ra with whom we have worked in the past."

"True…from what little she has said, I'm guessing that her Samantha Carter had a similar experience to me." Carter chewed thoughtfully a moment. "I'd like to discuss it further with her, see just how far the two timelines deviate."

"But?"

"Well sir, she's having trouble adjusting to our reality. We work well together, true, yet Dari occasionally seems to be pushing everything away from her, as if mental distance will make all the difference. She keeps…blocking me."

The two men looked at her.

"She avoids any responses that may lead to memories of her own world." Teal'c inclined his head slightly in contemplation. "I have observed this behaviour from her for the past three days."

O'Neill chewed at his lip a moment.

"It's no help to us at getting her home if she won't talk to us. Is she trying to avoid futzing things up on our side?"

"To be honest sir, I don't know." Carter resumed poking at her scrambled egg. "Just when I think we're getting somewhere, that she's feeling comfortable with this situation, her face will suddenly pale and she'll almost run from the room."

The big Jaffa released the tiniest of sighs.

"I too have observed the same response – Dariana Jackson appears to be having difficulties adjusting to life upon this world."

"That's not the only issue here though is it." O'Neill glanced from one to the other, trusting in them to give him the information he wanted. Carter paused, glancing up at her C.O.

"To be honest, sir, my main concern is Daniel."

"As is mine." Teal'c concurred.

"Don't." O'Neill rubbed at his forehead. "Teal'c and I have all ready said something to the effect that he can't afford to become attached to this girl, right off the bat. I don't think it's going too well."

Carter winced.

"Sir, I think that's an understatement. Dari won't even look at him most of the time. Even when he speaks to her directly." She furrowed her brow in distress as she added, "He can't get near her – she keeps dodging behind anything available."

O'Neill stared into the dregs of his coffee and muttered, "Dammit."

"I believe Daniel Jackson is also finding the events of the past week as distressing as Dariana Jackson." Folding his hands upon the table, Teal'c tilted his body to keep both team members in full view. "He has been very distracted of late."

"That's not exactly new, T." O'Neill's grumble received a small nod in response.

"Indeed. However, I have observed Daniel Jackson becoming frustrated with far less provocation than he previously would require."

"Sir…you know Daniel doesn't like seeing people suffering…and what with the apparent relationship between Dari and…"

"Ah!" The index finger was up and waving. "I just said, don't. Just because he usually finds the biggest, brightest candle of something to go fluttering around, doesn't mean he'll do it every time."

Teal'c and Carter both just looked at him. With a defeated sigh, O'Neill changed the subject.

"What about this sedative?" He used his mug as a pointer before sipping the coffee within. "Do you think you and Doc Frasier could manage the same thing?"

Carter's eyes widened. She took a breath to speak then paused as she reviewed what she knew about the symbiote poison. The two men gave her a moment, taking the chance to grab a couple of bites to eat themselves. When the pensive expression settled over her face, they knew she had an answer for them.

"It's possible." She said, her tone slightly distracted. "But we'd need to get the complete chemical composition from the Tok'ra and I don't know if they'll give it to us."

"Could we not simply request it from Selmac?"

Carter winced again.

"Teal'c…after what Dad has being saying about the Council…that could be a little tricky."

The three of them went silent, eating their meals as they considered what to do.

"Well, Carter, you could always, y'know, just give him a call."

There was a careful innocence about O'Neill's expression. Carter looked at him as her own features schooled themselves into a matching mien.

"I could. I haven't spoken to him for a while…things have happened."

"Indeed." Teal'c kept his voice deliberately easy. "It is not uncommon for a child to wish to share recent experiences with a parent, for the sake of being informed."

Completely in tune with each other, the three members of SG-1 smiled. When he sat down, barely avoiding scattering his files onto the floor, those little smiles were enough to make Daniel glance from face to face, his lips twitching in suspicious concern.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh…just organising some family time."

Daniel eyed the colonel, his cobalt stare dubious.

"Right…" He narrowed his eyes briefly, taking a mouthful of coffee and savouring it a moment. "Well, I can't stay long – I've got a translation waiting for me…only gotten halfway through it."

The other three reacted differently but with the same thought in mind – O'Neill rolled his eyes, Teal'c blinked very slowly and Carter tried to stop her lips from twitching in a smile. Then O'Neill's face started to exhibit signs of a dawning realisation and Daniel quickly rose.

"Well…enjoy the rest of breakfast, guys. I'll see you later!"

He stopped long enough to refill his mug then strode out of the commissary. Carter stared after him.

"What was that?"

O'Neill shook his head, a tiny sigh escaping him.

"Didn't you hear it?"

"Indeed." Teal'c eyed the empty doorway. "It seems our words did not aid as we had hoped."

"He sounded tired." Carter also eyed the exit her friend had taken. "He's probably been up all night again. He must be having problems with this latest translation – maybe he should ask Dari to help."

"Nah, that won't help."

"The sharing of a problem is normally a method of bonding, is it not, O'Neill?" Teal'c shifted his gaze to the man beside him. "Daniel Jackson would seek out another of like mind for such a task."

"Normally. But then, none of those of 'like mind' around here have ever been a sister before have they." O'Neill looked at the rest of his oatmeal in disgust. "And I just know he's going to do one of two things right now…"

"Perhaps Daniel Jackson will return to his translations and endeavour to distance himself from his concerns…"

"Dari is bound to be feeling a little lost right now – Daniel might decide to drop in to check on her on his way back to the lab…"

The three of them looked at each other, concern in each pair of eyes. It was O'Neill who sat back first.

"Either way…our little moth is going to get burned by a flame…"


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** I love him really...honest I do /huggles Daniel/

* * *

Daniel paused in the lift, looking at the buttons as if they were in a configuration completely unknown to him. For a moment he didn't know which one he had pressed, whether he was going to ascend four levels to his laboratory or descend two levels to where his personal quarters were. Then he shrugged to himself – he knew he had left his journal in his quarters and he would probably want it while he was working. It would mean one less rest break but at least he would have it with him immediately rather than spending half an hour searching his office _then_ remembering where it was.

He wasn't sure why he turned down one corridor, considering it was in the opposite direction to where he was supposed to be going. Stopping in mid-stride, he frowned, shook his head and turned back. When one of the airmen gave him an odd look, Daniel half-smiled.

"Forgot something."

The airman smiled back, noting that it wasn't unusual to see Doctor Jackson roaming around half-distracted. But to Daniel roaming around not quite knowing what he was distracted about was very unusual. He stopped just inside his quarters, put his files on the cabinet and found himself perched at the foot of the bed, his head in his hands, shirt-jacket flung over a chair.

"This is ridiculous."

Pulling his glasses off, he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands and sighed.

"Find your journal, grab your work and go back to the lab, Jackson."

He tried to be stern with himself. He tried to will himself to stand and look around. But his mind didn't want to obey, dragging him into memories he didn't want dredged from his past.

Carter had seen what had happened to his parents. Over and over they had stood there, adults trapped in the unforgiving past, as the cover stone tumbled from the hoist and voices rang out in screaming denial, desperate pain, panicked, frightened. He remembered waking for weeks after that, heart pounding, cries of grief ripping from his lips in the middle of the night. He remembered how, after waking, he would sit curled in the middle of the bed, panting, a cold sweat tingling over his skin. He remembered finally giving in and asking Janet for sleeping pills, her expression holding a question he didn't want to answer. Most of all, he remembered the way he had been afraid to sleep as a child for fear of seeing his parents crushed beneath the stone, their hands reaching for him, dead eyes staring at him.

What if he hadn't lived that? What if he had been older, stronger, had someone to care for when he had lost them? Would he have strived so hard to find acknowledgment in academia for his theories if he hadn't seen his parents die? If there had been a sibling, a sister, maybe he would have been less of a whirlwind through his life, not been so quick to leap from idea to idea and theory to theory. He would have had something to stabilise him. Yes, his other self still got involved with the Stargate programme…but maybe he had only been desperate for knowledge rather than for somewhere to call home, people to call family.

Jerking in realisation, he shook his head. There was his answer – if he had had family. That was his distraction. Part of his agile mind had been examining his life, his choices, and weighing them against the life this other version of him had lived. Comparing and contrasting even now, while he was sitting trying to recover enough of his equilibrium to resume the emotional walling he usually employed, as though his entire life was upon a pair of scales, being measured against the span of the universe and found wanting.

_This is insanity. I'll drive myself mad thinking about it._

Squeezing his eyes shut, Daniel rolled his head round, trying to ease the sudden crick in his neck. He glanced around the room, seeking something to distract him from his distraction. Instead his eyes settled on the picture frame by the bed. Immediately his hand reached for it, his thumb tracing the soft cheekbone through the glass.

_She says that she met you, that you liked her, welcomed her into the family. She says that you were saved from the fate you suffered here._

He stared into those deep dark eyes, the ones he hadn't seen for four years.

_She reminds me of my mother in some ways. She has the same eyes, the same way of smiling at something that amuses her._

Rolling to lay on his back, he held the photograph upright on his chest, one finger stroking over the mass of dark curls.

_She's like me in some ways too. Things like the way we both react to the team. The way she frowns at Jack. The way she takes her glasses off and pinches her nose with the same hand. I know I do that. They aren't things that she could have learnt somewhere else._

He smiled up at the beautiful face before him.

_I know – follow my heart. But she isn't my family – Jack's right. She's not of this world and I should stay away from her. Not that she makes it hard for me to, in some ways._

The face seemed to soften, her smile turning sorrowful yet loving. As his eyes searched that frozen image as they had done so many times before, Daniel sighed heavily.

"Oh Sha're…I don't know what to do. I want to help her but I only seem to hurt her. I should stop trying."

He closed his eyes, the photograph pressed to his chest and the other arm flung over his face. Then, as if his name had been called, he snapped up. Grabbing his glasses he carefully positioned the picture of his wife back in its place and moved for the door.

Turning back, Daniel smiled sadly at that radiant face.

"You're right…she may not be of this world, but she's still family. I have to try."

Then he slipped out of the door, his jacket in hand, his paperwork left discarded upon the cabinet.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** I'M SO SORRY!!!! Life has been a nightmare the past couple of weeks and I just haven't been able to sort out anything for my account at all! Thank you for your patience, everyone, and I hope that my abscence hasn't put you off at all.

As an apology for the long wait and a thank you for still reading (which I hope you are!), I'm putting up two chapters tonight - maybe even three! Enjoy!!

* * *

Alternate Reality

Quinn let his head fall back against the wall, ignoring the thud of pain as his skull reminded him he was leaning against stone.

"This is hopeless."

Carter's blond head could barely be seen behind the DHD.

"Oh come on, where's that irrepressible joie de vivre of yours gone?"

He opened one eye to peer at her, his lips twisting in a soft frown. She sat up enough to peek at him and sighed as she registered his expression.

"You're right." Carter rolled her head round, fingertips stabbing into her neck as she tried to ease the ache in her muscles. "We've been studying this damn thing for days."

In a fit of pique she flicked the tool she had been using so it would strike the palm plate. The tool bounced, flying off at an acute angle and thunking somewhere in the shadows of the room.

"There's nothing wrong with it. Our systems are fine, this DHD is fine, the Gates are fine, the DHDs' on the neighbouring six planets are fine, _their_ Gates are fine…"

Quinn pushed back with shoulders, levering himself away from the wall and snatching up a water bottle as he moved to crouch beside her, offering the container.

"I know. It makes no sense." He ruffled his hair in frustration. "There should be something, anything, a small fluctuation, a blip, an anomalous reading, but there's nothing here. Absolutely nothing."

Glancing at the woman beside him, he tried a wry smile.

"Dare I say it but I wish one of them was here."

Carter briefly closed her eyes, pushing back against the pain that slashed through her.

"I wish both of them were here." She whispered, her voice slicing at her colleague. Quinn stiffened, a subtle movement that put distance between them without either moving away. As ever, she felt the difference and as ever, he took the few steps needed to put him out of arms reach before she could react.

"Jonas…"

"I'm fine." He glared at the DHD, his face darkening. "Although I am having a slight urge to kick that thing until it either tells us where Dari is or it breaks."

Chuckling, Carter rose, her knees catching where she had been kneeling for so long.

"Or you do." She quipped as the dust drifted in soft clouds to the floor from her ministrations to her BDUs.

Quinn glowered at her for a moment before shaking his head and giving in to the impulse to smile.

"You always manage to do that."

"Do what?"

"Make my mood lighten even when I'm trying to stay mad."

Playfully she tossed the water bottle at him.

"That's what friends do, idiot."

_That's what friends do, Jonas._

Quinn caught the bottle with one hand and stood there, staring a moment into space. Carter could tell his mind had turned inwards – that wasn't difficult – but knowing where his mind had gone, to which specific memory he had been drawn, was something none of them could decipher. Slowly she moved forward until she could lay the tips of her fingers over his upper arm. When he didn't react, she slid her arm forward until she could lay her palm over his bicep and was shocked at the low tremor that ran through his muscles.

"Jonas?" Aqua eyes searched that normally open face. "Jonas, you with me?"

He blinked once. She tightened her grip and shook him slightly.

"Jonas."

Like an awakening sleeper he shuddered, drawing in a sharp breath, lashes fluttering as he glanced round wildly.

"Hey there…where did you go?"

He looked at her concerned face, ducking his head.

"Just a…just a flash, that's all." Scrubbing at his face with his free hand, Quinn half-laughed. "It's not as bad as it was."

Carter caught his eye, her hand reaching to rest lightly on his cheek.

"You can talk to us, you know."

"I know. Just…not yet. Sides," Quinn shrugged. "I'm willing to bet that Jack hasn't said anything about it either."

With a wry, slightly sorrowful smile, Carter shook her head.

"No…he hasn't."

About to speak further, she was cut off as her radio flared to life.

_"Carter? Jonas? Status."_

"We got nothing, sir. The DHD is one hundred per cent operational. So is our dialling computer."

_"So she's vanished into thin air?"_

The two scientists looked at each other.

"Unfortunately, Colonel, that's exactly what it looks like." Quinn winced at the curse that followed his statement then added, "It's possible that the Asgaard might be able to provide us with more options but as far as our own knowledge limits us, Dariana has completely vanished."

_"Fine." _The voice paused as O'Neill thought about his options. "_Okay you two. Come back to the roost. There's nothing else we can do. We'll pack up and debrief with Hammond as soon as we get back to the SGC"_

The radio clicked off. Quinn and Carter stared at each other, expressions of matching despair on their faces.

"What are we going to do now?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know…" He replied. "But I'm glad Daniel isn't here to know about this."


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** As ever, Stargate, it's associated characters, plots, planets, creatures and the like are not mine but MGM's. Anything never previously before seen in the show is mine.

* * *

"I'm glad Daniel isn't here for this."

General Hammond looked upon the pained features of his second-in-command and sighed.

"I understand that, colonel. Doctor Jackson would undoubtedly be a gibbering wreck by now."

That comment, said so dryly, was just enough to coax a small smile from O'Neill.

"Sir, you know as well as I do that Daniel would be bouncing all over the base with nervous energy. And probably getting threatened with a beating if he kept bugging Carter and Jonas every ten minutes."

"How're they doing with the diagnostic of the systems?"

"Not well." O'Neill stabbed at his temple a couple of times. "They've gone over everything three or four times. They're both getting so frustrated with the lack of results…"

Eyeing the defeated expression, Hammond chuckled.

"Let me guess, Jack, my god-daughter threatened to smack your head in with her laptop if you asked for one more update."

With a rueful smile, O'Neill rubbed at the back of his head.

"Yeah…and she's a great shot with a stress ball."

"See, Jack, there's a reason I always ask you to fetch the report when there's a deadline." Hammond sat back in his chair, amusement lighting his eyes.

"Gee, thanks sir." O'Neill rolled his eyes before sighing heavily. "It just doesn't make any sense. If there's nothing wrong with any of the gadgetry and she definitely dialled Earth and she didn't get bounced along the way…"

"It seems plain impossible, doesn't it Jack."

"Yes sir…exactly."

The two men looked at each other, recognising the desperate need for action both felt despite not having a course to pursue. Then Hammond began to laugh.

"Impossible…do we really know what that means at this command?"

"What?" O'Neill blinked as he tried to figure where this sudden change in mood had come from then he too started to laugh. "Damn, sir, but you're right."

"Until Major Carter tells me unequivocally that something cannot be done, I have no preconceptions these days."

"What are we to do?" O'Neill's eyes burned with the need to understand.

Hammond sobered, resting clasped hands on his desk.

"For now, I want SG's 1 and 2 to join forces until further notice. It'll take you up to a six-person team, Kawalsky as secondary, Carter as tertiary." He held up a hand as his 2IC started to protest. "Now, Jack, I know that the two teams usually head out together anyway but for the purposes of the paperwork and the Pentagon I'm assigning SG2 as a resource under your command. That means Kawalsky gets position as your 2IC – I'm sure Major Carter will understand."

"Yes sir." O'Neill eyed his commander, his tone containing a hint of stubbornness. "And while we're off-world?"

"Business as usual, Colonel." The General didn't change his expression but the two men were perfectly aware that any reports would conclude missions were conducted appropriately, even if practically they were nothing of the sort.

O'Neill nodded tiredly.

"Okay, sir." He rose from the chair, gently stretching one leg until his knee clicked to get the stiffness out. Glancing back, O'Neill sighed. "We have to get her back, General, wherever she's gone to."

"Well, son, Dariana is just as resourceful as the rest of you. Whether she's now in enemy hands or whether she's gotten herself stranded somewhere, I'm sure she'll find a way to let us know where she is."

"I hope so sir."

Hammond eyed his second and friend carefully, his voice gentle as he tried to bolster the other man's faith.

"Jack…I know how you feel…I was in the same position once. Be assured: we have the best minds available working on this. We'll find her."

O'Neill shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut against the pounding headache that threatened to blast its way out from between his eyes.

"I know, sir. We'll find her."

He almost stumbled out of the door, oblivious to the concerned stare behind him. Once the door had closed, Hammond picked up his telephone and quickly dialled.

"Doctor Frasier? Thank you, I'm fine…I wanted to ask…Exactly. Has either Jonas or Jack been to see you since Dari…headaches? Is that all? No other…Nothing else whatsoever?...I see…and you're sure that they are both capable…I understand. I'll put some precautions in place…Yes, I agree, I don't think this situation is helping with that at all…"


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** Just a reminder that only Dariana and the plot belong to me in this one...

* * *

Canon Reality

"Well…that's the only theory I can come up with."

Carter shrugged one-shouldered as three pairs of eyes turned to her.

"A power surge?" Daniel frowned. "But I thought you said that there was no evidence of anything affecting the Stargate when you ran the diagnostic."

"There wasn't. At least, not on the surface. It took fifteen hours of digging to find the anomaly and I'm still not sure what it is." She sighed. "I've tried recreating the circumstances, both in a simulation and with some of my equipment but…nothing seems to work."

She sounded so disheartened that O'Neill bumped her with his shoulder. When she glanced up, he grinned.

"Come on, Carter – we all know you're the brightest spark on the planet. You'll figure it out."

"Sir…" Her aqua eyes shimmered with frustration.

"Carter." His tone was slightly scolding. "Give it time."

Daniel smiled at her, his eyes bright with encouragement.

"Sam, you will work it out…"

"Indeed." Teal'c's soft rumble made her turn to him. "Meanwhile, Dariana Jackson is not suffering ill effects for her time spent in this reality."

At the small sound, two pairs of dark eyes and one aqua all turned upon the linguist in their midst. Looking from one face to the next to the next and back again, Daniel kept his face carefully blank.

"What?"

"Daniel…" O'Neill just looked at him.

"Jack." Daniel looked back.

Seeing a possible confrontation coming and not wanting it to overspill while they were in her lab, around her precious and expensive equipment, Carter rolled her eyes at Teal'c and stepped closer to the younger of the two men.

"You think she's suffering, don't you." She smiled gently. "To be honest, so do I."

"She's stuck here. In her world, she has two teams of people wondering where she is, what's happened to her – close friends, almost family. From what she's told us, although very little, she's probably worried sick that while she's gone Apophis or Klorel is going to find a way to invade Earth and she won't be there." He ducked his head so the others couldn't see the pained sympathy in his eyes. "I can barely understand how she feels."

O'Neill sighed, propping his elbows on the table and resting his chin in one palm as he quirked an eyebrow.

"It'd drive me nuts." He paused a moment then added, "Or nuttier."

Receiving an irked glare, the colonel sat up again and looked at his friend.

"Daniel…she'll be fine. She's a Jackson, right? Look at the amount of stuff you've gone through and bounced back from! I mean, for crying out loud! If you can Ascend for a year, then she can manage a couple more weeks with us, right."

Appreciating the sentiment behind the words, Daniel gave in to the urge to snort in amusement. Teal'c draped his hands behind his back as he fastened his dark gaze on the younger man.

"She has the same inner strength that you yourself possess, Daniel Jackson. I am certain that she will overcome her fears and prove a warrior in spirit."

"I'm going to see her later anyway – I'll check she's okay," Carter smiled. "I want to talk to her some more about the sedative and…erm…other things."

The two humans looked at her, intrigued by the soft blush that coloured her cheeks. The glint of mischief in her commanding officers eyes made her twitch in anticipation.

"Carter," He drawled. "Would you be engaging in what is known as 'girl talk' with our visiting fine personage?"

"We talk." She replied defensively, her tone quite clearly indicating that any attempt to find out the subject of those talks would result in violence. The three men exchanged amused glances.

"Of course you do, Carter." O'Neill grinned. "Course you do."

Teal'c allowed the ghost of a smile to drift over his lips, despite the warning glower he received from across the table. When that annoyed gaze fell his way, Daniel's eyes widened.

"Sure, Sam." Daniel offered a bright smile at her discomfort. "Whatever you say."

Drumming his fingers briefly on the table, O'Neill straightened, arcing his back in a slow stretch before sauntering out the door.

"Later, Carter – let me know when you have your eureka moment!" O'Neill stuck his head back round the door, shaking a finger at the astrophysicist. "And don't forget to go home for the night!"

Sheepishly, knowing she probably wouldn't, Carter replied, "Yes sir…"

Teal'c followed, inclining his head at his comrade whose facial expression softened at the gentle amusement in his eyes. Then Carter blinked as a cobalt pair of eyes fastened on her face intently.

"How is she?"

"Daniel…" How could she phrase this without hurting him? "She's okay, really. She understands we're doing everything we can. She'll be fine – it's getting easier for her to keep this world and her world separate in her mind."

She watched the slight tension of his face, the way the skin around his eyes creased a tiny amount, the only sign that he didn't believe what she was saying. With a soft sigh, Carter reached across to rest just her fingertips on his forearm.

"You tried to see her, didn't you." It wasn't a question – she could tell from the way his eyes glittered briefly with distress that he had. "She's not ready to face you, or at least, the Daniel she sees whenever you're there."

"She wouldn't even answer the door." He closed his eyes, his breath heavy as he added, "I don't want to add to her burden but without knowing what I can do to help…"

"Try again." Carter smiled when his eyes met hers, surprise in those blue depths. "Seriously. Try again. I'm going to be here for a couple more hours, Daniel, and I really think she could use a friendly face to talk to."

When he started to protest, she gave him a friendly push.

"Go on. It's not as if she could really talk with the colonel or Teal'c, is it."

They both smiled.

"Okay, I'll try." Daniel's voice was so subdued that she gave in to the impulse and quickly hugged him. Startled, he froze a moment then returned the gesture with a brief tight squeeze of his arms before pulling away. "Thanks, Sam."

"I'll see you later, okay?" Carter gave him an encouraging smile as he left the lab. Then, her mind turning back to the problem of how to get Dariana home, she sighed heavily and resumed staring at her computer screen, muttering, "Blasted fluctuations…where are you from and where the hell did you go…"

She was so busy tapping away at the keyboard, her concentration so intent upon the screen in front of her, she failed to notice a slight change in pressure in the air around her. And she certainly didn't spot the small glittering light in the corner of the lab as she started adjusting the energy outputs of her experiment.


	17. Chapter 17

**Genre:** ANGST!!!!!!!!!!!!

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Daniel knocked on the door and waited. For a moment he considered walking away, concerned that showing up at her door without warning would only put her on edge. As soon as the thought brushed through his mind he shook it off -–he had to do this. The concern, the worry, the fear that he was a cause of emotional distress to her was almost a physical ache. He couldn't bear seeing the flash of grief in her eyes even once more without trying to understand, without trying to offer something to help her. If the other members of the team had noticed it, then, well, it was a big enough issue that he had to make her the offer that he would stay out of her way for the duration of her stay on base – even if it meant a short-term reassignment to another SG team.

He knocked again.

He knew that the team would protest but he also knew that they would back him if that was what he had to do. He was very aware that they may never find a way for Dariana to return to her reality – a possibility that worried him greatly. If she was having difficulty dealing with the familiar faces but different people in the short time she had been with them, there was no telling how the news she was stuck in the wrong reality permanently would affect her. He could only imagine how he himself would cope in that sort of situation.

Daniel lifted his hand to knock a third time. His knuckles, instead of rapping, stopped to rest lightly against the door. He found himself listening intently, his brow furrowing as he tried to hear something that was barely loud enough to hear.

"Dariana?"

Again there was a sound that wasn't quite a sound. Dragging his security card from his pocket, Daniel swiped the lock and gently pushed the door open.

"Dari?"

Waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he squinted at the room. Slowly he made out the bed then the cabinets but no sign of anyone being in the there. A heavy weight settled over his heart as he moved to close the door, a soft sigh escaping him as he realised that he wasn't going to get his chance today.

"No." The croaked plea echoed from the shadows.

Daniel stepped back into the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.

"Dari, where are you?" He couldn't see her, his hand starting to drift toward the light switch. "Should I…"

"Please don't." She sounded as if she was close to tears. "No light…please."

"Okay…" Daniel peered around the room. "Do you want anything? Can I get you something?"

"No."

The muffled sob that accompanied the denial wrenched at his heart and provided him with a direction. Carefully, one hand out to help navigate the table and chairs, he made his way to the corner where she was curled. Keeping his movements slow, he lowered himself to one knee, trying to catch her eye as he ducked his head to search her face.

"What happened?" He asked, voice soft and so full of compassion her tears burned her eyes anew. "Dari, please, talk to me. I just want to help you – we all do. Please…"

Dariana looked up, her hazel eyes bright with fear and grief, her cheeks stained with tears.

"Achli?" She whispered, her breath catching, shaking her shoulders even as she turned her face to search his. "Achli?"

_Brother Mine._ The appellation tugged at his heart and Daniel felt himself completely relax as the realisation of the source of her condition washed over him.

"Oh Dari…" He breathed. "I'm so sorry."

With a heartbreaking whimper, she flung herself into his waiting arms, clutching at him desperately as grief crashed over her, a ship cast upon the rocks to be torn apart. He held her, his hands cradling her against his body as he made soothing sounds, allowing her to cry herself out. How long he knelt there, the young woman shuddering with the force of her soundless cries in his arms, he wasn't sure but he didn't stop whispering, one hand slowly smoothing the chestnut waves down her head and over her shoulders. As the tremors faded from her, the worst of the storm over, she started to mumble.

"Hey…it's okay." Daniel tucked her closer, his chin resting on top of her head as she wound her fist in his shirt. "You don't have to talk if you don't want to."

"No…" Sniffing, Dariana tried to bring her breathing back under control. "I want to. I owe you an explanation for why I've been so cold."

"No, you really don't." He half-smiled and she felt the instant warmth of his acceptance. It made her feel safe for the first time in months. "I can work it out."

"Please, Daniel. Let me…" Pulling back, she brought pained eyes to meet his sorrowful cerulean pools. "I…"

"I know."

She almost smiled at the familiar tone, the one she knew so well. Bit by bit she raised a hand to touch her fingertips to his hair, her face softening as she studied his features.

"We went through so much together, so much pain and heartache. You were always there for me, no matter what time it was or the distances that kept us apart – I knew I only had to pick up a phone and you would be there. My beloved brother."

It hurt, seeing the shards of shattered dreams in her eyes, reflecting an almost-image back at him.

"You were so terrified that Apophis would get me…so relieved to see me in that cell, so delighted after we ran into him on Sokar's moon that he didn't touch me – despite all the threats he'd made. I never doubted that I'd see you again, no matter what happened, as long as we had each other and later the teams. I always believed that we would get through everything because we always had."

She took a shuddering breath as her palm came to rest on his cheek.

"But…although you were afraid he'd get me…in the end, it was the other way around. He got you. He got you and now I don't have you. The bastard made them watch, tried to make me choose, and he got you. He laughed…he laughed as you…" Her eyes closed, her lips pressed so tightly shut they turned white, Dariana tried to hold back the choking sob as she remembered.

Cupping her face with his hands, Daniel lifted her head so he could see her again, encouraging her to look at him simply with his touch.

"Dari, I may not be who you keep expecting me to be…but I will do everything I can to make it easier for you. Everything. Anything."

The stark need in his face, the determination to be whatever she needed of him, was all she required. Sliding down to rest her head against his chest again, Dariana sighed, the hand smoothing her hair comforting.

"It's been just over eight months. I've had nightmares nearly every night. How Jack and Jonas cope…" She paused, shivering. "How they manage, I don't know. You don't expect to step through the event horizon and come face to face with…"

"Someone you're mourning." He murmured, wanting to save her the pain of saying it, of making the admission real.

She snuggled closer, his arms tightening automatically as she sunk further into the security of the familiar body, her voice barely loud enough to hear.

"I miss you so much."

Daniel squeezed his eyes shut, swallowing hard as the words lanced through him. Shifting, he settled to the floor, giving her the opportunity to get more comfortable or even to back away. Loving warmth blossomed in his chest when she murmured and tucked her head into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." He whispered the words into her hair. "I wish…"

"It's okay – this helps. Really." She gave a wet laugh then. "Who'd have thought I'd cry for my brother on my brothers' shoulder."

Daniel couldn't help chuckling.

"Well, they never said that being in the SGC would be easy." He pulled back a little to peer down at her pale features. "You feel any better?"

Sniffing, she nodded, a wan smile just gracing her lips.

"Yes. Thank you. I guess something had to give."

"Anytime you want to talk…" He stared down at her, his expression so full of pain for her that Dariana couldn't help but reach up to him.

"I know who to come to."

She gently placed a kiss on his cheek, pressed the side of her face to his as she hugged him fiercely then released him. Daniel rose first, offering her his hand. With great care he pulled her to her feet, watching as she made her way to sit on the edge of the bed.

"If you want I can get you something to eat…" He began, moving toward the door. Fingers wrapped round his wrist, tugging his gaze back to those bright hazel eyes that were just staring at his face. "Dari?"

"Would you stay a little while? Please?" She took a breath, shaking her head as she looked for the right words to explain. A glance at the expression in his eyes told her she didn't need to. "Just…for a little while."

With a soft, fond smile, Daniel settled himself on the end of the bed.

"Of course I will."

She smiled at him gratefully as she allowed herself to settle into the mattress, her fingers still in their grip upon his arm. As her eyelashes fluttered closed and her breathing eased, Daniel carefully unwound her fingers before pulling a blanket over the sleeping form. He waited to be sure she was asleep before rising gingerly, trying to avoid jarring her. Looking down at the features so young in sleep, he tenderly tucked one chestnut curl back off her face. Then he silently slipped from the room, pausing for just one second to look back at the peaceful form and smile a pained and wishful smile.


	18. Chapter 18

"Hey Sam!"

Dariana almost bounced into the laboratory, her voice loud and her eyes shining brightly with happiness. Her beaming smile was met with a small scowl of frustration.

"Oh…sorry, did I interrupt?"

"No…" Carter sighed. "I can't seem to work this out and I'm starting to get frustrated over it. I could do with a distraction."

The blonde major glanced up at the younger woman and smiled.

"You're feeling better then."

Dariana flung herself onto the nearest stool.

"Daniel came by last night. We talked…well, I talked, he listened, I fell asleep, he left me dinner on the table." She smiled sweetly. "I finally feel like I've said goodbye and yet have also said hello."

At the confused look she was getting, Dariana bit her lip.

"Sorry…just something that…well…"

Carter's expression was one of understanding as she leant on the table.

"Daniel did say you were exhausted when I saw him last night – that's why I didn't drop by. He also mentioned that you two had found an equilibrium. I'm just glad that you're going to be able to cope while we work out how to get you home."

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." Her eyes suddenly darkening, Dariana's face shifted into intent academic mode. "I had a thought – what if it wasn't the Gate, the network, the computers…what if it wasn't an energy source from a bomb or EMP or anything like that."

Carter frowned, her azure eyes turning distant as she started to work on the problem.

"Well…a solar flare can create adjustments. A black hole might have had some effect too, although I can't even begin to extrapolate a theory without some more information…"

"Okay…so there must be something else."

Carter sighed as she said, "I really can't think of anything else. I've tried so many simulations based on fluctuations, energy spikes…"

Dariana waved a finger at the other woman, her expression thoughtful.

"Do you have a quantum mirror?"

With a sad shake of the head, Carter replied, "Not anymore. General Hammond ordered it destroyed four years ago."

Her good mood quickly disappearing, Dariana sighed.

"Well, there goes that idea. We still have ours – it would have been simple enough to find out which was my reality."

"Using the energy signature…" Carter ran a hand through her cropped hair. "I know…but we just don't have it anymore."

The two women were staring at the table in modest despondency when a breezily out-of-tune voice started singing:

_There's a raging fire in the sky tonight  
I wanna ride on the silver dove  
Far into the night_

Carter immediately jumped up, looking for the owner of the voice.

"Sir?" She called, half-expecting O'Neill to walk in, unable to even consider that anyone else would be so…so…informal. When she peered around the door, no one was there. Frowning, Carter turned back to look at her visitor.

"That's odd…I was sure I heard someone singing…" She stopped suddenly as she stared at the young woman whose face had turned deathly white. "Dari? Dari, what's wrong?"

"You heard that?" Her hazel eyes wide, Dariana looked round the room. "You really heard that?"

"Yes…I heard it…why?" Carter eyed the telephone on the wall, wondering whether she should call Janet.

"I thought it was my imagination. That I wanted to go home so much I was conjuring…" Dariana grinned. "Do you see? It means I **can** get back! There is a way!"

Carter stared at her. With an exasperated grimace, Dariana jumped off the stool and began to pace, one hand waving in the air as the other whipped off her glasses and pinched at her nose.

"If we can hear that, and it is who I think it is, then there is a link between me and my own reality that is still open. If that's the case, we should be able to get a message to them that I'm still alive…that I'm all right!" She halted, slipping her glasses back on even as she whipped a hair band from a pocket. Fastening the tumbling mass of hair into a rough ponytail, Dariana glanced around the room.

"This is my lab."

"What?"

"What?"

At the repetition of the question, both women spun round. O'Neill stood there, face in an expression of baffled amusement.

"Sorry, gotcha startled huh?"

Dariana breathed a sigh of relief.

"Dammit, Jack! You always do that – quit sneaking up on people! It's not like you gotta keep in practice, not with the amount of pussyfooting this job requires! And let's not forget the Jaffa dodging! Honestly, O'Neill…I swear you only do it just to get yelled at sometimes. One of these days you'll do that to me and I'll brain you with some priceless ancient artefact!" As she shook her head, the two air force officers exchanged glances.

"You always talk to me like that?" O'Neill asked as he propped himself against the door frame, one eyebrow raised in amusement. His smile grew as Dariana blushed.

"Oh…sorry. Automatic reaction, I'm afraid." She winced. "I couldn't help myself."

"Actually, Daniel does the same thing." The colonel shrugged one-shouldered. "Only he does it by huffing and rolling his eyes at me, which doesn't mean a damn thing of course…"

He stopped as Carter's mouth twitched and Dariana tried to smother a smile. Then he sighed.

"Hey Daniel."

"Jack." The faint disapproval in his tone was all that Daniel needed. He walked past his friend to take station at the end of the room. "Hey Sam.

"Hey yourself." Carter gave him a bright smile before he glanced at the dark-haired woman and offered a slightly shyer smile.

"Morning." He said then added, "Did you sleep all right?"

"Like a baby, thank you." Dariana smiled, her eyes and expression softening as her eyes met those of the man opposite her. O'Neill cleared his throat loudly and the two Jacksons flinched.

"Jack!" Daniel huffed.

"Daniel." The colonel mocked back. Before they could heat up, Carter interrupted.

"What did you mean by this is your lab?"

"Right." Dariana shot both men a quelling look. "In my world, this is my lab. Sam's is next door. So, that would mean, assuming we are running on exactly the same timetable here as back there, we can hear what is happening on the other side if we're lucky."

"I can set up a recorder in here to catch any sound." Carter's eyes lit up with excitement. "I'll also get a few other pieces of equipment in – for energy readings, light spectrums, radiation levels…"

"Anything that might indicate how this is working! Once we have the basic readings we can work on a method to get me home!" Dariana beamed with delight, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet as she clasped her hands together. The two men looked at each other and sighed.

"You know, I thought having the two of you was bad enough…I'm starting to see that three of you is just so much worse." O'Neill muttered mournfully, a glint of mischief in his eye. Crinkles appeared round the edges of Daniel's eyes as he met the look.

"Well, Jack…you know what they say about great minds." The younger man shrugged. "And let's not forget that some of the greatest minds have been quite excitable through history."

"I wouldn't be surprised if I start finding grey hairs…" O'Neill shook his head. "Seems like a real trouble-maker to me."

Dariana looked from one to the other, her mouth dropping open as the teasing tones sunk in.

"Why you pair of…" She laughed. "That's it! You can both forget about me ever inviting you round for dinner this century!"

Carter crossed her arms, a soft smile on her lips as she added, "And need I remind the colonel that in Dari's world, it's not three…it's four…"

It took a moment for O'Neill to realise what she meant. Then he groaned loudly as the other three laughed.

"Oh gods!" Growling, the colonel shook his head. "Great…two Jacksons, a Carter and Jonas…does the other me ever get any sleep?"

The laughter echoed around the room…and somewhere else, the brown-haired man in an air force uniform snapped his head up, his pale blue eyes looking round wildly for the source of the mirth. With a last glance around the empty artefact-strewn room, the young officer shrugged and muttered to himself: "Gotta talk to Dari about being where she said she would when I call by…"

And he wandered away again, humming the same tune that he had walked in singing.


	19. Chapter 19

Alternate Reality

General George Hammond was not known for his temper. So when the water jug flew through the air, smashing against the door and chiming as the pieces fell to the floor, everyone who heard the commotion was somewhat disturbed. Yet no one moved to seek out the source. If Hammond had seen fit to unleash his temper, there would have to be a life or death emergency to report for anyone to invade his territory before he was once again the calm, controlled commander the base knew so well.

He stared at the mess the other side of his modest office and sighed heavily. Then he shot the red telephone on the left end of his desk a withering glance – a glance so full of anger that the offending item should have been incinerated on the spot. However it stubbornly refused to evaporate into thin air and with the refusal of the telephone to disappear, Hammond knew that the annoying voice that had so recently spoken to him via the device would also still be in existence. And with that voice would be the orders he was now trying desperately to stomach.

"Damn them."

They were the first words he had uttered since his conversation had ended. Those two words held every uncharitable, frustrated, exasperated, angered, disappointed, furious, disgusted and despairing thought he had found himself thinking during the past hour and a half.

"Blasted hypocritical sycophants."

His next three words moved on, turning from raw anger to insulted betrayal. The sycophants in question had just denied him more resources. One of his people was lost and the Powers That Be were refusing to give him more time, no matter who the lost one was or what value they had had before.

_I'm going to have to tell Jack._

Hammond sat back in his chair, his eyes closing slowly as he tried to compose the best delivery of the news as he could. It didn't seem to matter how he tried to phrase it; the bile still rose in his throat, clinging to the words and turning them to glass shards wrapped around steel pebbles, sinking deep into his gut. The feeling of sharp weight in his throat was so real, so choking, he reached for some water to try to ease the pain. When his hand sliced through empty air, he gazed despondently at the spreading dark stain by the door, a small part of his mind finding the way the internal lights glittered through the fragments quite beautiful. He only stirred, dragging his eyes from the sight, when the door to the briefing room echoed quietly with a dull rap. He looked up to see Harriman peering in, his expression one of wary concern.

"Sir, are you all right?"

"Sergeant, would you mind getting me another jug of water please?" Hammond asked casually, completely ignoring the reason why he was asking. "Oh…and could you request that Colonel O'Neill come to my office immediately."

Harriman, carefully avoiding looking at the mess, nodded.

"Of course sir. I'll send for him right away."

As the door closed again, Hammond rested one elbow on the edge of his desk, dropping his forehead to it, and sighed.

"God help us all when they find out about this…"

---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

The team sat at a table in the commissary, no one really enjoying their food.

"So." Elliot pushed a lone piece of carrot around with his fork.

"Yeah." Kawalsky frowned at his mashed potato. Across from him Teal'c laced his fingers together, resting the heels of his palms on the edge of the table, his plate pushed to one side.

"Indeed." He intoned, the bare downward curve at one corner of his mouth the only hint to his mood.

Carter looked at her jello longingly then she too pushed her food aside.

"This is just so…"

"Wrong." O'Neill sighed, his eyes downcast. "It's just wrong."

"How can they call off the search?" Quinn shook his head, his eyes closed so he didn't have to show how exhausted he was. "She's alive – she has to be. And she knows so much about the programme."

"They can call it off because it's been over a week, because we've found nothing to indicate what happened, because no one has seen any sign of her and because the Goa'uld could be knocking on our proverbial door any minute." O'Neill grumbled. "It's what they do. We nearly lost Teal'c because the Powers That Be were so sure that he was dead."

"Yeah…that's exactly what's happened here – they think she's dead and that is that." Kawalsky snarled. "They'll be pushing for both teams to find a fourth member now and probably at least one Russian."

"Face it," Elliot looked from face to face. "If Dari hadn't been a Jackson and SG's 1 and 2 didn't work together so much, they would have pushed for a replacement for Doctor Jackson a lot sooner."

When he found himself on the receiving end of a furious chocolate glare, the young lieutenant held his hands up.

"Hey, I'm sorry I said it – I miss him too - but we all know that it's true! I know I've been with the SGC the shortest amount of time and I'm damned grateful that the colonel here gave me a shot on the second team," He gave Kawalsky a respectful nod and got an acknowledgement before pressing on. "Just as I was honoured to have been recommended by SG-1 for the programme. But the grapevine in this place…"

Carter sighed.

"He's right, sir." Her soft blue eyes met those of her commanding officer. "Elliot is right."

"It's true." The soft admission came from the other blonde at the table. "I heard about it a few months ago – they were going to give us until mid-year then Jack was going to get the order to find a fourth."

Everyone stared at him. Quinn sighed then shrugged one shoulder. O'Neill glanced round at the faces he knew so well then sighed himself.

"I know."

Teal'c's eyebrow shot up.

"O'Neill…are you suggesting that you were aware of the course of events and did not see fit to inform us?"

O'Neill nearly winced at the soft disapproval in the big man's voice.

"T…I was hoping I could talk them out of it. Especially as we, as a team, aren't ready for someone else to be taking Daniel's place." He growled then, adding, "Hell, **I'm** not ready for someone to come in, bouncing all over his memory and trying his shoes on for size."

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder whilst a smaller, softer hand gently touched his forearm. He shot his team a grateful smile as Kawalsky smacked a fist onto the table.

"Well, I'm not giving up." He glowered belligerently around the table. "Dammit! This is Dariana we're talking about. If those tight-asses up in Washington don't get it, the SGC damn well do."

Elliot smiled grimly as his commander's attitude.

"I'm with you there, sir. I know that the other teams have all ready pledged to check out every planet they go to from now on…for anything." The young lieutenant scratched madly at his head for a moment – his only concession to his worry. "The Tok'ra will be looking too…especially if they think she might have gotten captured."

Carter smiled sadly as she added, "Jolinar liked Dari as did Lantash. Selmac's fond of her too. They'll look."

At the end of the table, Quinn's agile mind had been turning, spinning on more axis than he could count. The weight of not knowing, of his internal agony at not being able to find answers, pressed down upon him hard. He allowed himself to flop backwards in his chair, letting the exhaustion of the past eight days sweep over him, his face holding an expression of utter dejection before his gaze met that of the greying man opposite him. In a painful whisper, the scientist spoke two words:

"We failed."

Then he swallowed hard, abruptly standing with such force his chair screeched backwards. Without even a glance at his team-mates, Jonas Quinn stalked out of the room, his body language that of a defeated man. O'Neill's pained grimace was unnoticed by the others as they all stared after the Kelwonan.

"Jonas!" Carter made to go after him but O'Neill laid a hand on her forearm and shook his head. "But sir…?"

"Leave him. I'll go."

The others watched as the colonel, his shoulders drooping, his head low, followed the younger man out into the corridor. As the door swung shut, the remaining four glanced at each other.

"What is going on?" Elliot shoved his plate aside, propping his elbows on the table so he could lean forwards. "There's something with those two."

"I don't know." Kawalsky sighed heavily. "Neither Jack nor Jonas will tell me anything – doesn't mean much with Jack though coz I didn't even know about Charlie til that first trip."

Carter stared at the doors, biting her lip worriedly. She almost flinched when Teal'c lightly touched her arm.

"Major Carter, I am certain that Jonas Quinn and O'Neill will be well."

"Yeah, Carter – just chill. They'll be okay."

It was Elliot who looked from the door to his commanding officer then to the Major.

"But what if they aren't?"

Kawalsky saw the flash of pain in the fast paling blue eyes, the concern in the pair of deep brown and the caution in the paler brown next to him. With a heavy heart he glanced at the exit where two of his friends had disappeared.

"If they aren't…then we'll have to talk to the General and Doc Frasier."


	20. Chapter 20

sneaks in, blushing Hey y'all! Erm...will a 'sorry for making y'all wait so long for this' help any? Coz...y'know... SORRY!! This chapter is still with the Alternate Reality crew, btw!

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"Jonas!"

"Forget it, Jack…I don't want to talk about it."

The ageing colonel strode after the younger man, eyeing the hard lines of the shoulders that had gone from dejected to furious in just a few steps.

"Jonas…if you don't get it together…"

"What?" Quinn halted and spun in one move, furious eyes raking over the older man's face. "Or what?"

He paused, pain and confusion plain on his face.

"Jack…they don't know…how can they…they weren't there…we failed. We failed, Jack – you know that just as I do!"

O'Neill grabbed the flying arms and forced them still, his voice low and urgent.

"We didn't! She is out there and we'll find her. And they don't need to know…dammit Jonas! They don't need to know." Suddenly he felt old as memory battered at him. His eyes closed tiredly, his voice worn as he added, "They never need to know, none of them."

Quinn allowed the fear-fuelled rage to seep from him, relaxing his body as best he could. Feeling the muscles under his fingers go lax, O'Neill released his hold.

"Better." He commented dryly.

"Jack…I'm sorry. It's just with Dari disappearing…something Sam said yesterday…I keep getting these flashes," Squeezing his eyes shut, his body shook and his breath was rough as he battled against himself.

"Yeah…" O'Neill sighed, one hand rubbing at his temple as he took in the signs of pain that he knew so well for himself. "I know what you mean. Least those pills of Doc Frasier's knock me out."

Quinn eyed him suspiciously.

"You're actually _taking_ those?" He asked, leaning back and looking at his companion in disbelief at the nod of agreement. "Who are you and what have you done with Jack O'Neill?"

O'Neill chuckled, shaking his head as he crossed his arms.

"Yeah, I know. But…" He shrugged. "I need them. And so should you."

With a heavy sigh, the younger man nodded, silently admitting the truth of the statement. O'Neill reached to pat a shoulder, trying to stay on the brighter side.

"Well…least _we_ know what's going on, right?"

That earned him a shocked laugh and a slightly disgusted yet amused glance.

"Jack…we'll have to tell them eventually."

"I don't see why. Not all the…not everything."

"They are going to need to know at some point…before someone else tells them."

The two men stared at each other.

"Exactly what do you mean by that?" O'Neill eyed the younger man.

Quinn deflated slightly, his eyes flicking away from the intense stare.

"It'd be better if we told them before…"

"Before what?" The colonel's voice had gained a slight growl. Quinn reacted almost like a boy who didn't want to give up his secret.

"Before the information gets used against us." Sighing, Quinn rubbed the back of his neck, jabbing the tips of his fingers into the tight muscles. "Because you know it might…that's how the whole thing works."

"Look," O'Neill made sure no one was around before continuing. "We will tell them…when we need to. They'll understand – they're our teams. They'll get it."

"So why haven't we told them yet?"

Quinn felt the wave of dismay turn into a leaden ball in his stomach as O'Neill's gaze broke away from his own.

"You don't think they'll understand." He whispered.

O'Neill sighed, shoving a hand through his greying hair, his breath hitching so, so briefly.

"It's not that they won't…it's that I don't know if I can take the looks of…" He shook his head before glancing round once again to be sure they were alone despite being in the middle of a corridor. "You know what I mean."

Quinn sighed heavily.

"Yeah…I know. I don't want to be on the receiving end of those either."

They stood, silent, still, both imaging the faces of the people they loved looking upon them with pity. Neither one of them could keep the flicker of fear from their eyes. Neither one could acknowledge that flicker, not in themselves, not in each other. As chocolate met caramel, the two men took a step back mentally and emotionally.

"You know, we can't keep dodging it - Kawalsky and Sam will never give up trying." Dragging a hand through his cropped hair, Quinn looked at his friend in fond bemusement. "There's no escaping it – they are going to tie us down and torture us with bad Country and Western or Pop until we tell them."

Snapping his fingers, O'Neill merely put on an air of foiled amusement and said, "Aw, shucks! And there was me thinking we could just slip them all some light mind-warping drug and tell them we're fine!"

"Jack!" Quinn stared at him in shock a moment before O'Neill childishly screwed his face up.

They had both started to chuckle just as Carter appeared round the corner. She stopped, looked at them both with a hard icy stare then crossed her arms and started to tap her foot. Sobering quickly, O'Neill looked from his 2IC to the scientist and took a long step backwards.

"I'll leave you two to it as I'm sure you both have work to do," He grinned. "See ya later guys!"

He made his exit as quickly yet as smoothly as he could, feeling the weight of the annoyed stare at his back. Just as he scooted around the corner, O'Neill leaned back and yelled, "Hey Jonas?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't go forgetting to get some sleep tonight!" _Even if I have to slip you some pills to do it._ O'Neill waved jauntily at his comrades as he disappeared.

Quinn ducked his head, one hand coming up to shield the faint blush tainting his cheeks as he raised a two-finger salute in the direction of the still laughing colonel. Carter immediately wrapped a hand around his, curling his fingers back to his palm.

"Jonas!" She hissed, half-laughing. "Don't!"

"He deserved it." A boyish smile lit his face as he spotted the laughter in her eyes. "Sorry I stormed off…I got so frustrated…"

"I know. We're working on some more ideas…we are…it's just taking time." Sighing, Carter shrugged one shoulder. "We'll find something – we always do."

His face softening, Quinn looked down at her.

"Thanks Sam."

Quizzically, she asked, "For what?"

"For being there." He replied. "Even when you're annoyed I won't tell you anything."

"Idiot." She muttered. Then she sighed at him, wrapping her fingers around his as she started to walk away toward the elevator. "Come on…we have work to do…and you need to take a break from your own thoughts."

Knowing better than to argue, Quinn allowed the major to drag him off to the laboratory, neither knowing what revelations were in store for them.


	21. Chapter 21

Ok, everyone, FINALLY I am back! I'm so so **so** _so_ so _**SO**_ sorry it's taken so long - after several bouts of illness (mine and parents), house problems (mine and parents), work problems (just mine on that one) and a _hideously_ bad spate of writers block, here is the continuation of "This Ain't Kansas". If there is anyone of you out there who wants to scold me, I am accepting PMs :D

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Chapter 21

The members of the two flagship teams had been having a rest period for a couple of hours when the klaxons blared through the quiet, making everyone flinch.

"Dammit! What now?" O'Neill growled, wrenching himself off the bed. He grabbed his jacket, slinging it on as he strode out of his base quarters, throwing an acknowledging nod at Kawalsky as he also appeared from quarters.

"What do you reckon it is this time?" His jaw squaring even further with annoyance, the lieutenant colonel raked a hand through his hair. "Tok'ra? Bra'tac? Another attempt at bombing us?"

"I don't care what or who it is – I was _trying_ to get some shut-eye!"

As the two men rounded the corner, Teal'c fell into step, his brow slightly furrowed.

"My kel'no'reem was interrupted." He rumbled as the three swiftly made their way to the elevator.

"And my shower."

They all glanced back as Elliot caught up, his hair dripping and the collar of his tee-shirt damp.

Kawalsky smiled grimly as his 2IC. "Never mind, lieutenant, it's probably nothing."

"Yeah?" The newest recruit looked from one seasoned warrior to the other. "Then why are we all heading for the Gate Room?"

As the two humans looked at each other and shrugged; the Jaffa quirked an eyebrow.

"That's what I thought." Elliot muttered darkly. O'Neill couldn't stop himself from cracking a smile although it soon vanished as the four men tumbled out of the lift and headed for the control room. Hammond was waiting for them.

"Colonel! You'll want to see this." He indicated the screen in front of him, images scrolling by at speed.

"What is it?" Eyeing the screen as if it were going to grow legs and spring for his throat, O'Neill took one step forwards, not realising everyone was watching him. When another voice to the one he expected answered, all gazes turned back.

"It's Goa'uld." Quinn stared at the hieroglyphs, his face set, eyes bland. "And there's a auditory attachment to it."

Carter slipped through the mass of testosterone that had suddenly flared at the announcement, her nimble fingers setting to work on the keyboard to download the sound file safely and securely.

"I think that has it, sir, if you want to hear it."

Hammond nodded sharply. Over the speakers a voice began to speak:

_Greetings Tau'ri. It has been some time since you sent your assassins to my home, my ship, to murder me where I stood. I was disappointed in you – I had thought those who had vanquished Ra, Hathor and many others would prove more worthy adversaries. Instead I found three of your kind easily captured and easier to subdue._

_I have a proposal to make…but I will only speak of it to the one of you who so defied me on Abydos and Chulak. I am sure you are aware of whom I speak._

_You have two of your solar days to prepare yourselves. I am expecting to speak with her and, although I know you will protest at the conditions I will be proposing, I am sure you will find the merit in that which I offer._

_Two days. Oh…and do remind Colonel O'Neill and Jonas Quinn that I am not finished with them. Til the next time we meet, gentlemen…_

The recording went dead, cutting the gloating laughter off before it became truly odious. No one dared to move. The room was suddenly so quiet that each breath roared in the ears of whoever was taking it. Slowly, aware that he may be taking his life into his hands, Kawalsky shifted to look his oldest friend in the eye.

"Jack? What did he mean?"

O'Neill had grasped the back of Harriman's chair with both hands, his knuckles completely white. His eyes stared through the window and down upon the Stargate, although there was no sign of external focus in their velvet brown depths. His breathing had turned studiously even, as if he were deliberately timing each breath to last for two seconds. The flat expression to his face worried Kawalsky - worried him in a way he hadn't felt in many years - a sentiment that must have been apparent as Hammond stepped in.

"Colonel." His tone was a soft command, a demand that whomever he addressed return to the present and take up duty. O'Neill responded like the military man he was – his gaze snapped up to take in the expression on his commander's face, arms falling to his sides and heels almost clicking together.

"Sir."

Satisfied that his officer was back with them, Hammond looked round the rest of the original Abydos team.

"I suppose I must assume that he is referring to Dariana Jackson as the one who 'defied' him?"

"Indeed, General Hammond – Dariana Jackson attacked one of the guards during her incarceration." Teal'c draped his hands behind his back. "He was most interested in her for her strength of will – I believe had he not been satisfied with another, he would have taken her as host for his Queen."

"He's been mighty taken with her ever since, you gotta admit." Kawalsky sighed. "Always trying to talk to her, just to wind her up."

"I've got the translation programme running on the written half of the message – we should have a full translation in a few minutes." Carter kept tapping away, running some pieces of software on the audio for later analysis. "It seems a little large a data stream to be merely a visual of the audio…"

Elliot cleared his throat, barely loud enough to gain the others attention.

"Sorry to interrupt," He began. "But I don't think that the message did Jonas any good…"

The Kelownan had vanished. As the various members of the teams turned to look for him there was the sound of hurried footsteps and a scrape of fabric on stone. Turning back, his eyes briefly glancing over the finger marks left in the cushion of the chair, Hammond sighed.

"Gentlemen, Major, I believe we may have a problem. Briefing room." He ordered. "And call for Doctor Frasier."

As the group filed toward the stairs, Carter turned to Kawalsky, her eyes shivering with repressed emotion.

"Sir? Will the colonel be all right? I've never seen him look so…" She stopped, unable to put a name to the expression she had seen.

The older man sighed heavily.

"Sam, I'll be honest – I've only seen him like that once before, a long time ago. And what put him there?" He shivered. "It wasn't pretty."

He walked away, leaving her staring wide-eyed after him. Fearfully, her arms wrapping themselves around her body of their own accord, she whispered, "What did Apophis do to them?"


	22. Chapter 22

Canon Reality

Standing over the contents of the backpack, the errant siblings eagerly pawed through the various notes and small artefacts scattered across the table.

"So…"

"Hmmm?" Hazel eyes turned greener by the olive shirt she was wearing, Dariana glanced up at the man next to her, a tiny smile just touching her lips. Daniel kept his face perfectly straight. She sniffed delicately.

"What?"

When he didn't immediately respond, Dariana elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You said, 'so'. So what?"

They continued separating the items, matching pieces of paper to fragments of items that, mostly, had no obvious definition. Somewhere in their minds they were seeing patterns and connecting

"I was wondering…"

"Mm?"

Their hands moved around each other in an intricate dance, fingers snagging piece after piece.

"Well, I know I'm not really, I don't know,_ qualified_...no, erm...."

Dariana turned her head just far enough to fasten an amused hazel stare on her fellow archaeologist.

"Ask what?" She mused, her eyes dancing.

Daniel grimaced and she was so tempted at that point to blow in his ear, the way she would have done at home. She restrained herself, instead straightening up to bump her hip against his.

"Come on…out with it."

Fastening his cerulean gaze on her amused face, Daniel sighed.

"Well…is there anyone?" He shrugged. "Waiting…back home?"

Laughing, Dariana retorted, "Only four annoyed air force officers, one Jaffa ex-First Prime and a sometimes too chirpy Kelownan!"

He half-laughed with her, a slight flush creeping into his cheeks. She spotted it and looked at him.

"I meant...as in…well…"

Dariana blinked at him.

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry…I shouldn't have asked." Daniel ducked his head, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the contents of the table.

"Daniel…it's okay…I just…wasn't expecting you to ask that." Leaning her hip against the table, the young woman frowned, crossing her arms lightly over her chest. "Wow…erm…I don't know."

Feeling her suddenly become reticent, Daniel gave her the option of continuing their conversation in another language by switching to Russian.

"_You don't have to talk about it…I didn't mean to pry into your life._"

She gave him a considering look before she responded in kind.

"_It's not that. It's just…complicated. In a way._"

Moving to mirror her position, Daniel looked her in the eyes, his expression soft.

"_You mean that they may have given up?_"

"_No…_" She sighed heavily. "_I mean that the person that will be waiting for me is not exactly the one I'd like to be waiting for me._"

Her eyes were lit with pained confusion – just enough to prompt Daniel into reaching toward her. She allowed him to take her hand, letting the warmth of his concern steady her. For a moment she wanted to smile, tease him the way she used to. Then she glanced up and that tiny difference, something about who he was that shone from his heart through his skin, reminded her again that he wasn't her Daniel. Still, being able to talk to him about this was something she had been almost desperate to do.

"_So, who's the waiting man?_"

"_I've been seeing this guy for months now…we met back when we first went up to Area 51 to see the 302 project about a year ago – I thought he was just one of the security troops. Then a few weeks later we met again, at an Eighties night at the Brickhouse._"

Daniel nodded, knowing the Brickhouse Theatre in Colorado Springs although he hadn't been there himself. Dariana sighed.

"They were showing a triple bill of Tom Cruise movies and we thought, for a laugh, we'd all go down there." She returned to English and chuckled. "You haven't seen _Top Gun_ until you've sat through it with four air force officers, an off-world human and a Jaffa! Oh, the jeering!"

They both laughed then, one remembering whilst the other had a pretty good idea of how the evening would have panned out.

"Course, we left after that…we decided that we couldn't possibly take another film, not with having a couple of speed freaks in our midst." She grinned as his questioning look. "Sam has her bike - she taught me to ride too - plus Elliot has a thing for his classic car. Between the three of us, watching _Days of Thunder_ may have been a bad idea."

Daniel raised an eyebrow, moving back to cross his arms over his chest, leaning his hip against the table as his lips quirked.

"You can ride a motorcycle?"

Dariana grinned at him brightly, despite the glimmer of grief in her eyes.

"Yeah…although you never knew about it – I didn't get the chance to tell you I'd passed the exam before…" She shook herself, realising she was speaking to him in the present. "Anyways, we were on our way out of the theatre, laughing and joking, when I tripped. Somebody caught me and I looked up into his smiling face. We joked about him being in the Springs only a couple of hours and all ready having a woman fall at his feet. I shot him down a little – didn't want him knowing we were anything other than a bunch of friends out for a movie."

Daniel moved to pull a stool over for each of them. Dariana gratefully accepted the chivalry, her fingers idly toying with some of the scraps on the table.

"Imagine my surprise when he walks into the commissary the next morning looking for a decent cup of coffee. It turns out that he's been helping with the 302 project and therefore has all the clearance he needs."

"What happened?"

"Well, he spotted me, came over, we talked for a bit and things went on from there. It's been pretty hit and miss what with him being in Nevada and me in Colorado but we get to meet up, two or three times a month."

The expression on her face, the pain in her eyes, told him that there was something more to the relationship. Gently, Daniel reached across and tucked a lost strand of hair back behind her ear. Dariana smiled at him, sighing softly before continuing.

"It's more a comforting relationship then something that might go somewhere. He lost a dear friend not long after we met, someone who gave their life for him then a few months later I lost you. I guess we found solace in each other."

"Some people can do that." Daniel mused, his voice gentle and without judgement. "It's not a bad thing, Dari. If you and he can find a closeness in sharing and coping with your grief, that's not a bad thing."

She sniffed quietly, her eyes prickling.

"You know, that's what Mitch said. We talked about it a little – I think he knows that there's someone else for me just as I know that, really, he's haunted by someone. But I really do like him, Ahi…I really do. It just feels so wrong in some ways to be…" She stopped, clutching one of her recovered artefacts in her hand.

"Dari." He began, his cobalt eyes brimming with affection. "It sounds to me like you are both adults who are good friends who seek and receive comfort in each other. And it seems to me that when either of you find what it is you're looking for, the other will still be there to be a friend."

"Just without the whole occasionally falling into bed part?" It was amazing in some ways to hear O'Neills' sarcastic tone come from this woman's mouth.

"Yes. Exactly." Daniel couldn't help but offer a gentle smile.

When she looked up into his face, something in his eyes made her smile. That smile expanded to a low chuckle that was soon echoed by her almost-brother.

"You're right." She sighed. "We'll part on easy terms – we've gotten too close to do otherwise."

Still fiddling with the small, slightly flattened dove-grey oval in her hand, Dariana glanced round the laboratory furtively, her gaze ending up on Daniel's face, pleading.

"Can…can we get out of here?" At the burgeoning protest on his face, she reached over to grab his hand. "Please? I just need to get out for a little while…and if you come with me, even the rest of SG-1, it's not like I'll run off somewhere. I really need to get out and get some air, some space."

Sighing, his head dropping forward and rolling to fix her with his gaze, Daniel frowned.

"We'll have to ask the General…"

"Now? Please?" She looked so lost Daniel felt his inner barriers crumble.

"Okay then…let's go get the clearance…"

Tossing the artefact to the table, Dariana curled her arm through his proffered one. They walked away together, comfortable with each other, just being themselves. The little grey oval pinged once as it stopped moving then lay silent once more.


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Note: Yes, I know - I suck. I'm so sorry for not updating this regularly. I have got more chapters written and I will be posting them up over the next month, with the possibility of a sequel if people like the situation enough.

Rated: K+ for one use of bad language.

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Clutching desperately at his anchor, Daniel wondered yet again what had possessed him to agree to this.

Everything around him was a blur, despite still wearing his glasses. The road beneath him had become a ribbon of shining grey tarmac with a white spine whilst the trees had become merely a broad line of green, reminding him of an artist's brush stroke. He could hear through the radio in his ear the gleeful giggling of his driver and he prayed that she wasn't laughing so hard she missed the next turn off.

"Dari!" He called into the microphone, hoping the wind rush didn't muffle his voice too much. "Next stop!"

He wasn't sure if she had heard until the world around him started to regain clarity. They pulled over, off the road onto a dirt patch. His legs feeling a little wobbly, Daniel managed to get down and pull his helmet off, remembering to remove his glasses first.

"Okay…why did I agree to this again?"

"Because, Achli," Dariana's overly cheerful voice was muffled slightly as she removed her own helmet, "I was feeling cooped up and you got the General to agree that a couple of hours out of the mountain would do me good."

"Oh. Right. That." He sounded so dour Dariana laughed and kissed him on the cheek.

"Come on! Don't you find it freeing?"

_Sitting on the back of a machine travelling at 70 kilometres an hour, with only a helmet for protection is freeing?_ Daniel watched as the woman flung her arms out and spun round, her hair flying everywhere, her laughter ringing out into the warm mid-afternoon breeze. He couldn't deny, despite his misgivings about the mode of transport, that she did indeed appear to be freer. Something about the way she moved, as if a great weight had been removed from her shoulders.

Turning at the noise, he watched as first O'Neill's pick-up then Carter's motorcycle pulled up. Carter waved at him before tugging her helmet off, joining Dariana over by the hill to look over the valley. O'Neill wandered over to stand with Daniel.

"How's she coping?" He asked, jerking his head in the direction of the women.

"Honestly?" The younger man didn't take his eyes off the point where two heads were close together in conversation. "I have no idea."

O'Neill scratched at the scar in his left eyebrow with his thumbnail.

"Well…we're working on it. We'll get her home."

"I know…I just…" Daniel sighed, rubbing a hand over his face and only barely managing not to knock his glasses off.

"You worry." O'Neill stared across the landscape. "Of course, you always worry…but on this occasion, you've got us worrying too."

The archaeologist looked up at his friend.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Teal'c has been keeping an eye on her – coz he wanted to – and he reckons that she's…what was the word he used…diminishing. That's the one – her spirit is diminishing. He's going to invite her to join him at kel'no'reem later this evening." Still not shifting his gaze, O'Neill asked quietly, "Think it's worth a shot?"

"I think anything is worth a shot if it means that she can hold on to hope."

"Danny…I know I said it at the start…but…" O'Neill turned to continue talking to his friend and found himself staring into a pair of intense blue eyes filling with sorrow. "Daniel?"

"I know what you're going to say, Jack – she's not my sister. And I'm not her brother. We both know that and we're both coping with that knowledge as best as we can. It doesn't change the fact that I look at her and see what could have been, what I never had, and she looks at me and sees what should be, what she's lost." He sighed heavily, watching the two women carefully and trying to keep the pain he felt for Dariana out of his voice. "If we can't get her home Jack, I don't think she'll stay with the SGC and we'd not only loose a brilliant mind but she'd loose everything. And I don't know what that will do to her."

The two men looked at each other before Daniel added in a whisper, "I know what it would do to me."

"Yeah, so do I." O'Neill briefly rested a palm on Daniel's shoulder, offering a smile that was meant to be reassuring and hopeful. "But she'll get home, Daniel – we will get her home."

-----

"Hey Dari!"

"Sam! Isn't this beautiful? I love coming up here just to get a few moments peace."

Carter looked out over the view and sighed, smiling dreamily.

"It's one of my favourite spots, especially when the stars are just coming out at night. It's like there's no one else on the planet, just for a few minutes, and you're watching the birth of the galaxy." She breathed deeply of the summer air. "Then you remember that you spend your days running around that galaxy, meeting people, defending the planet and exploring worlds. Suddenly it's all complex again but at least there were a few moments of simplicity."

The two women grinned at each other in complete understanding. Then Carter glanced at the two men and smiled.

"So…how did you convince Daniel to come out here? And on the bike at that?"

"Oh. Well…" Dariana coloured slightly. "I may have unintentionally used a method of coercion that may have caused some small amounts of emotional distress."

"Ah. You told him about not getting to tell your brother about the cycle license." Shrugging out of her jacket, Carter continued, "I'm sure you didn't mean anything by it. Daniel just takes things to heart a lot – it's one of the things people find so warming about him. And he's finding it hard to keep that part of himself locked away when it comes to your welfare."

"I've noticed. Neither of us are coping with it very well, are we."

Carter moved to look into the younger woman's eyes, her own aqua gaze considering.

"You're doing fine. And we're getting somewhere – I found a fluctuation in the power at the exact moment you came through the Gate, one that is nothing like anything we've seen before. It's a completely different signature that could be specific to your reality – I'll be comparing it with the readings Janet took from you in the morning, as she's eager to help. And the tests I've been running since we heard the singing will be finished tomorrow – hopefully they'll give us something to work with as far as narrowing down the possibilities…"

Laughing, Dariana held her hands up in surrender.

"Good grief! Now I know what I sound like to Jack!" She covered her mouth with a hand, trying to lessen the impact of her amusement. "I'm sorry but…he always complains that I go off at speeds beyond the human norm and never quite in the English language…"

Carter couldn't help but chuckle.

"He often does that with me and Daniel – a look, a sigh, a comment, a single explanation for the event that he believes is the universal explanation..."

They looked at each other and both exclaimed, "Magnets!" before breaking down into fits of giggles.

"Oh dear…" Carter coughed trying to get her breath back. "He doesn't change much then?"

"No." Dariana sighed, a fond smile drifting across her lips. "I can safely say that in the years I've known Jack, he doesn't change much at all…other than to get more stubborn about everything and grouchier regarding his morning coffee."

Turning to face the other woman, Carter began, "I've been meaning to ask you about something…"

As hazel eyes turned to meet aqua, a flash of light over Dariana's shoulder caught Carter's attention. Without even knowing what she was doing, the major shoved the other woman to the floor, shouting, "Colonel!"

O'Neill reacted, pulling his gun from under his jacket and shouldering Daniel behind and down. He crouched behind the motorcycle just as something zipped past his head.

"Carter! Dari! Get moving!"

He popped up, letting off three shots to provide the women with some covering fire and a chance to get clear.

"Jack!"

"Shit!"

Glancing where Daniel was looking, he realised that there was no way for the others to reach them or his truck. The only option they had was to head for the undergrowth and hope to sneak away through the trees. Ducking back down, O'Neill gave Daniel a pleading look.

"Please tell me you're armed."

The production of a handgun and a grim smile to go with it made him grin in return.

"Great. Now we've just got to get from here to there."

Daniel snorted as he narrowly avoided receiving a bullet to the shoulder.

"And all without getting shot – wow, this should be fun."

O'Neill made a sound that could have been a laugh.

"Come on Daniel…what's a trip out with your buddies without some whackos taking a shot at you? I thought that was what our lives were all about!"

"Not on this planet!"

O'Neill grinned at the younger man, who groaned.

"What?"

"I know that look."

"Okay…I'm going for my car…just cover me."

"Jack…"

"On three…one…two…GO!"

Daniel leaned round the motorcycle, firing in the direction of the bullets. O'Neill popped up, firing three shots just as he dove for his car, seeking to get close enough to hop into the passenger side. Yanking the door open, he grabbed the spare sweatshirt he kept in the cab, hooking it along the bottom of the door to provide a foot screen.

"Daniel! Come on!" O'Neill centred on the first of the muzzle flashes.

Daniel took a deep breath to brace himself. Then he was moving, sprinting as fast as he could whilst trying to make as small a target of his body as possible. O'Neill fired over his head, keeping their attackers from getting a chance to aim properly. A hand snaked out to grab his arm and Daniel found himself being almost flung into the cab.

"Move over and keep you head down! They won't fire at the car…they won't want to take the risk of causing a fire – not with three engines full of gas right here." Growling, O'Neill was fumbling at his pockets. "Think I got one of them – takes it down to two."

"Who'd you think they are?" Daniel's face was covered in dust but his eyes shone with confusion and concern.

"I dunno…I don't care right now either." The colonel broke off as he pulled his mobile out and hit a speed-dial. "But I'm calling for back-up."

"What about Sam and Dari?"

O'Neill paused, his chocolate eyes wavering as he met his friend's worried gaze.

"Carter's perfectly capable. And I'm willing to bet that Dari has picked up a few things from her team. They'll be fine…" He broke off again as a voice started talking to him and he began reciting instructions. Daniel dared to stick his head up over the dashboard long enough to see if he could spot the women. A bullet whined past the glass, making him duck out of reflex.

Sighing, he murmured, "I hope they're okay…"

Looking at the older mans' face, he could see that O'Neill was thinking the same thing.


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Note: See?! I know how much I suck so I do double-update of apology!

* * *

"Crap!"

Carter almost smiled as the word exploded from her new friend's lips – she'd heard it so many times from Daniel.

"Keep your head down."

"That was my plan."

Dariana scrambled across the dusty floor, just as Kawalsky and Jack had taught her back in the early days. She remembered every instruction – keep your head down, eyes fixed on where you want to be, move in bursts, listen to the trained man with you. Seeing as Carter was her partner in this, Dariana saw no problems in following orders. So she watched the majors face from the corner of her eye, taking in the tiny gestures and following her lead. A flicker of aqua eyes and the younger woman dropped and rolled, a spatter of bullets throwing dust over her face.

"Move!"

Carter grabbed the back of Dariana's jacket, dragging her up and shoving her forwards toward the undergrowth. Neither of them were sparing a thought for the two men, trusting in their experience to keep them safe, not when both women were certain they were the main targets.

Ducking under some bushes, Carter produced her own handgun, chambering a round and snicking the safety off. Dariana looked at it almost longingly.

"Wouldn't have another one of those…" She whispered.

"Sorry." Carter smiled apologetically.

Dariana sighed, peering out through the brush to spy for their attackers.

"Counted two…"

"Three," Carter corrected. "And there's probably another waiting with their transport."

A flurry of shots made them duck reflexively until they realised they weren't the targets. The lack of shots in their direction just confirmed Carter's suspicions that they were hunted.

_Spilt us up, drive us to separate cover – but what do they want?_

Carter quickly ran through her options. When the blonde's lips twisted in a snarl, Dariana closed her eyes.

"We're screwed." She murmured.

The women looked at each other, unspoken ideas drifting in the air between them. Nodding, Carter indicated for Dariana to move to her left, deeper into the wooded area. At the same time as the academic started moving, the major peered around the tree trunk she was leaning against, watching for any movement to cover. Then they were both moving, creeping through the undergrowth in an effort to circle away from danger, keeping each other in sight. They were both straining their hearing for any sound that might help identify where the gunmen were. So when Dariana caught the slightest breath on the breeze, she was ready.

The gunman stepped out from behind a tree, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. As soon as he touched her, Dariana felt the veil of cold calculation drop over her. She let him get in close, snatching at his wrist as if in fright then smashed the back of her head into his face. Following through, she swung her right elbow straight into his solar plexus, pivoting using the grip on his arm, snapping it out straight, and driving her right knee into his ribs. Using his own bodyweight as her anchor, she then pulled her knee up to her stomach and struck out at his left shoulder, slamming her heel into the collarbone. She heard the snap of bone and a feral smile spread across her face. Allowing the gunman to drop to the floor where he cradled his ribs with his working arm, Dariana collected his weapon, checked the chamber and aimed it for the middle of his forehead.

"Now, keep your mouth shut." She hissed, as she settled to one knee in order to keep a low profile.

He squinted up at her, panting.

"You're supposed to be a boffin." He squeaked.

"Shut up." She patted his jacket down, a thrill of relief going through her when she found a silencer.

_Okay…that makes it easier to hide if I have to use it._

He tried to move away but she just shifted to put pressure on his bruised ribs. Wincing he froze and watched her carefully. She smiled at him gently as she screwed the silencer onto the barrel.

_Good boy._ She mouthed, flicking a glance round to spot Carter. The blonde major was ducked down behind a tree, her eyes darting from point to point, although she spared an astonished yet approving look at the younger woman. Dariana cocked an eyebrow and half-shrugged, her expression clearly saying, 'I'll explain later'

Then she was pressing the gun to her captives' head as Carter tensed, her body poised for action. The second gunman popped out from cover, let off four rounds towards Carter's position. Dariana snapped her gun up, squeezing off two shots to make him duck back, allowing the major a chance to take a shot herself. Carter swung out, her three rounds catching the gunman in the stomach, chest and head. He dropped hard.

"Dari!"

"Covering!"

The brunette shot her prisoner a warning look as she shifted to keep an eye on Carter's progress toward the other man.

"Clear!"

"Get up."

"Don't know...if can…"

With an exasperated sigh, Dariana pinched her nose.

"Men…you're all the same. Get a couple of bruises and you whine like children."

You broke my arm!"

"Whatever." She grabbed his good arm and tugged. "Get up."

Seeing as he refused to move, Dariana yelled for Carter. The other women strode over as quickly as she could whilst still watching for the third man. She knelt beside him then gasped.

"I know you!"

"Major Carter."

Dariana looked from one to the other.

"What?"

Carter shook her head.

"He's NID…I've seen him on another operation. Who was the target?" She snapped the question at the man who set his jaw stubbornly. "Great."

They both jumped as Carter's cell phone went off. With a muffled oath, she pulled it from her jacket, intending to turn it off. But the caller ID had her answering it instead.

"Daniel!"

----

"Sam? Are you all right?"

Both men were moving through the underbrush, O'Neill taking the lead as they searched for the two women. Once they had realised that ambushers weren't interested in them, neither of them were prepared to sit and wait for back-up for fear of losing either Carter or Dariana. The older man glanced across, rolling his eyes in relief when Daniel nodded an affirmative to his question.

"We've found one of the men down – Jack caught them when they tried to pin us down. He thinks there's only another two."

O'Neill held up a hand, demanding silence. Pausing, Daniel crouched as O'Neill listened then signalled to move on. Suddenly Daniel reached over and tapped his friends' shoulder.

"It's okay, Jack. They've got one prisoner and one more that Sam took down."

"Great." O'Neill relaxed, dropping his gun hand but not holstering the weapon. Daniel followed his example as they moved faster toward the others.

"Over here!"

"Dari?"

"Jack, Daniel." Grinning at the two men, Dariana jerked her head in the direction of their captive. "I thought you might like a little gift for being so good to me."

O'Neill looked down at the scowling gunman, taking in the way he was laying and the position of his left arm and shoulder.

"Carter?"

"Not me, sir."

Both men looked at the female archaeologist who smiled sweetly.

"Told you I spent time with some dangerous men."


	25. Chapter 25

O'Neill propped himself against the wall.

"I'll ask it again – what interest does the NID currently have in SG-1?"

The man Dariana had captured - _Who the hell would have thought she'd be able to take out a guy like that?_- just glared at him. O'Neill sighed.

"Come on! It's not like it's a hard question. Do you want an easier one? Okay – who was your target? That one not working for you either? Then how about was it an assassination or a retrieval squad whose butts we kicked?"

The NID agent turned his face away, a sullen expression settling over his features, made slightly less intimidating by the large white bandage and sling on his arm. The colonel raised an eyebrow at this behaviour.

"What? You a kid?" Shaking his head, O'Neill made a dismissive gesture. "Fine. Sit. Stay."

He ignored the attitude he was getting, slipping out of the door. He was greeted by three questioning faces and one stoic gaze.

"He doesn't want to be an adult and have a chat. He's too busy sulking that a one-twenty pound little academic took him down."

"Six years with Jack, Kawalsky and Teal'c…" Daniel shrugged.

"Just how much has she not told us?" Hammond queried. "And how much has she learnt from those men?"

"Judging by the way Dari subdued that agent," Carter commented, "She must know quite a mixture of hand-to-hand combat, defensive operations…"

"And some Jaffa techniques as well."

"What makes you say that, T?"

"Because, O'Neill, I have not observed a Tau'ri use the ky-an movement."

"The what?"

"It's a martial art move, Jack." Daniel looked to Teal'c for confirmation. "And I think that it's the name for the move where Dari used the agents' arm as a pivot point and struck him in the ribs."

"Indeed." Teal'c draped his hands behind his back. "The use of such a move requires that the combatant practise extensively with an experienced warrior – balance is essential to the correction execution of the movement."

O'Neill made a noise of appreciation.

"I think we can assume she had that."

"Colonel," Hammond began, "I want answers from that man. Do whatever you have to to get them – within reason!"

"Yes sir."

"Major."

Carter snapped to attention, her eyes on her commander's face. "Sir?"

"I want you to talk to Doctor Jackson – find out just how much she knows that we should be aware of."

"Sir."

"Keep me informed, people." With that Hammond nodded to the other three members of SG-1, turned about and returned to his office.

O'Neill glanced up at Teal'c.

"C'mon, T – you can help me with the Bratkin in there." He shook his head at the raised eyebrow for his terminology. "Never mind…"

As the two men moved to enter the holding room again, Carter turned to Daniel.

"Do you want to come with me?" She asked, concern in her eyes.

Daniel glanced away, one hand raking through his hair whilst the other removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes.

"I don't know. I don't think that it would be a good idea for me to be there – you two would probably talk easier on your own."

"If you're sure…" Carter's mouth twitched as if to offer a comforting smile. "You might be welcomed you know."

Starting to reply, Daniel was cut off as Carter's cell started ringing. She shot him an apologetic look.

"I'll go tell Dari that we haven't got any information yet."

"Okay…I'll be there in a minute." As Daniel walked away, Carter answered her cell, "Carter."

"Major, I have some information for you." A male voice stated.

"Who is this?"

"An abduction attempt was staged near Cheyenne Mountain this afternoon."

"Yes."

"That attempt was unsuccessful – two men were killed and a third captured."

"Who are you?" Carter demanded.

"What you need to understand is that the NID did not sanction this operation."

"They didn't? The man we have in custody is an NID agent…I recognised him!"

"The man you have in custody, Major, was dismissed from the NID three weeks ago."

Carter turned on her heels, shock her predominant emotion but closely followed by a shiver of dread.

"Rogue agents? Again?"

"Still, Major Carter. Still. We're doing all we can…but they will try again."

"I know you." Her aqua eyes narrowed dangerously. "I _know_you."

"Perhaps." The voice wavered slightly and Carter closed her eyes as she tried to place it. "The NID are not responsible, Major. We may be interested in your visitor but only through official channels."

"Agent Ba…"

"Please, Major." He sounded desperate. "Take what I've given you and leave it there."

Then he hung up, leaving Carter staring at her cell and wondering what Agent Barrett was doing risking his career and possibly his life for a second time.

"Look buddy…it's not difficult to answer the questions…really it isn't."

The NID agent still refused to even acknowledge the colonel.

"I mean, all you gotta do is open that mouth of yours and let sound come from it."

The agent stared straight ahead.

"Course, it's up to you right now what kinds of sounds…let's face it," O'Neill shrugged, propping one foot up against the wall. "Right now, we figure that you attempted to murder an ambassador, tried to kill two air force officers and a decorated civilian and funnily enough, we of the United States Airforce frown upon that sort of behaviour."

He was rewarded with a brief glance. Internally, O'Neill chuckled, but externally his face stayed in an expression of bland disapproval.

"See, we don't like it when our guests and friends get shot at. And," He moved forward to lean on the table. "I, personally, get a little…what's the word…"

He looked up to where Teal'c was standing dispassionately by the door. The big Jaffa raised an eyebrow.

"I believe the word you are seeking is annoyed, O'Neill."

Snapping his fingers, O'Neill stood up again.

"That's it! I tend to get a little annoyed when my friends get shot at. Especially when I'm just trying to have a nice quiet afternoon out with my buddies." He sighed tiredly, shaking his head. "The only thing missing from that great little spot was a couple of beers. Mmmmmm."

Teal'c watched the colonel, amusement at his behaviour buried deep beneath the implacable mask that he presented to the detainee.

"You were in control of a vehicle, Colonel O'Neill – intoxication of any degree would have been unwise."

"Bah!" O'Neill waved a hand dismissively. "I'd have gotten Daniel to drive back."

"You were not intending for Daniel Jackson to have access to the alcoholic beverage?"

"No!" O'Neill looked at his friend in disgust. "Waste a perfectly good Guinness on his palate? T! Whaddaya take me for?"

The agent, by now feeling a little bemused, cleared his throat. The colonel turned to look at him, his expression one of apologetic remembrance.

"Hey! I'm sorry – you were being so quiet there I clear forgot you were in the room!" O'Neill gestured at Teal'c. "Apologise to the man for ignoring him, Teal'c!"

Bowing to the agent, Teal'c rumbled, "Indeed – apologies."

The agent looked from one to the other, clearly becoming more confused by the second.

"Look, am I under arrest or what?" He asked.

"Hmmm?" O'Neill just looked at him. "What?"

"Am I under arrest or what?"

"OH! That." Shaking his head and laughing, O'Neill moved back to perch on the edge of the table. "Well…sorta."

"Sorta?" The cuffed gunman swallowed.

"Yeah. See, as we technically don't exist, we can't technically arrest you. So you aren't, technically, in custody." O'Neill crossed his arms and affected a slightly distracted air. "So that means that, technically, if we aren't here and you aren't under arrest and aren't in our custody, then you aren't in this room and you aren't about five minutes away from a seriously vigorous interrogation."

"Interrogation?" To the guy's credit, his gaze flicked to where Teal'c was quietly standing, his dark eyes firmly fixed upon the seated man.

"Yeah. Interrogation. Of course, it's nothing you should be worried about now is it? Seeing as you aren't here and all. Technically speaking."

The rogue NID agent whimpered.

"So, seeing as you aren't here and it's…well, would you look at the time!" O'Neill clapped, rubbing his palms together and grinning over his shoulder at Teal'c. "I gotta be heading off – got a _Simpsons_special on TV in half an hour and a sweet pizza just waiting for me to pick up the phone and order."

He headed for the door, idly asking, "T, what are you planning for your evening?"

Teal'c allowed the barest of smiles to trace his lips.

"I believe I shall be staying within this empty room for a short time, O'Neill."

"Yeah? Well…whatever floats ya boat!" Clapping his friend on the arm, O'Neill pulled the door open.

"Hey! What about me?"

Turning, sweeping his gaze across the room, O'Neill frowned.

"Teal'c, you hear something?"

"Indeed I did not."

"Hmmm." Shrugging, O'Neill stepped halfway through the door. "Well, I'll see you later."

"Until then, O'Neill." Teal'c's gaze fell upon their prisoner who swallowed hard at seeing nothing but deep darkness in those implacable eyes.

"Colonel? Colonel! Don't leave me here! Please! Don't leave me in here with him! COLONEL!"

"You know…it's funny Teal'c," O'Neill commented as he left, "But I could swear I could hear summat."

As he turned his back on the room, he gave the Jaffa a surreptitious wink, receiving the barest of nods in return. He shut the doors just as the agent screamed for him. With a deep chuckle, the colonel leaned against the wall, checking his watch.

"Poor kid…and the big guy hasn't even taken a step closer yet."

Within moments, Teal'c exited the room. As O'Neill raised an eyebrow at him, he reported, "He is a rogue NID agent acting under the orders of members of the Trust who have so far evaded our efforts to detain them. He does not know who these men are but he is willing to confirm the extent and exact nature of his instructions."

"That was what? Less than two minutes?"

"Yes."

"Damn."

Teal'c looked at his friend and O'Neill sighed.

"The bad guys really need to get some tougher minions – they fold too easily these days. It's just no fun."

Teal'c watched as the younger man walked away, shaking his head and muttering to himself, his eyebrow twitching in amusement.

"Indeed."

* * *

author's note - my apologies to everyone for the significant absence. Unfortunately I've spent the last few years battling quite severely with depression and unemployment - so much summed up in so little - and, obviously, it has impacted everything to a ridiculous degree. So much so that I stopped writing altogether, forgot about my accounts and, upon encouragement from elsewhere, have only recently rediscovered myself. At least to some degree.

If all that follows doesn't match up to expectations I can only apologise further and beg forgiveness from my readers - I am working my way back. Thank you for your patience.


	26. Chapter 26

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Oh hell…" was muttered then a louder, "One second!"

"I can come back…?" the muffled offer came.

"No! No, it's fine…" Dariana leapt to the door, swinging it open without looking. "Sorry!"

Carter walked in on a battlefield. The room looked like it have been turned upside down and inside out – all the drawers of the chest and cabinet were open, the table swept bare, the bed linen tossed haphazardly to the floor and there was Dariana, on her knees, crawled forward on her forearms, peering myopically under the bed. Clearing her throat gently, Carter ventured, "Looking for something?"

"No…just thought I'd try a new style of decorating in here – the organised look is so last year." The younger woman snapped then sighed, shaking her head. "Sorry – channeling Jack again."

With a wry expression, Carter wandered over so her newest friend could look at her without squinting.

"That's okay." She shrugged. "I'm surprised the rest of us haven't picked up similar infections from his brand of snark, especially after all these years. Mathematically, it stands to reason that someone somewhere in the realities would end up infected by the J.O.S.C."

"And that would be…"

"Josc for conversational purposes." Carter sighed. "It's rare, but it is possible for the carrier to infect others…I'd say that you were a classic case."

Dariana looked at the major, her eyes wavering as she tried to figure out if Carter was being completely flippant or very serious.

"And what _exactly_does JOSC stand for?" She asked, eyes narrowed in wary curiosity.

The corners of Carter's mouth twitched as she replied, "Jack O'Neill Sarcasm Contagion."

Tossing a pillow at the now laughing major in relief, Dariana yelped, "Don't punk me!"

"Punk?" Her eyebrows shooting upwards, Carter coughed. "Now that's a word I would never have thought to hear used by a Jackson.""

Blushing slightly, the linguist sat back on her heels, an embarrassed half-smile on her lips.

"Just something Mitch says sometimes…especially when I'm teasing him."

"I'm pretty sure that isn't a term for simple teasing…"

Shrugging, Dariana levered herself up off the floor and perched on the end of the bed with a sigh.

"No…but it's amusing to watch his face whenever I use it out of definitive context." She smiled, her eyes softening. "I just like winding him up."

"So…Mitch…is that 'the' guy?" Carter gently stressed one word.

"Mitch is a good, dear friend that I talk to a lot and spend time with when I can."

Noting the defensive posture of the woman in front of her, the major righted a chair and settled into it, her aqua eyes fastening onto the reticent face of the linguist.

"But he isn't 'the' guy…"

"Is that what you were going to ask me? Before we got shot at?" Dariana felt her jaw drop in astonishment. "You've been wanting to ask that for days, haven't you? I should have known that all the Sams would have been as focused and determined as mine!"

"Well, the theory behind multiple realities states that…" Carter stopped abruptly, almost laughing as the other woman clamped her hands over her ears, screwed her eyes shut and started to hum very loudly. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry!"

Opening one hazel eye, the brunette peered at her companion.

"Done?"

Chuckling the major nodded. With a sigh of relief, Dariana removed her hands and smiled.

"If we're going to sit here and have a normal chat, then no historical or scientific gibberish is permitted. We all need a break from it now and again – even us IQs."

"Agreed." Carter smiled. Then she glanced around the room again and the smile faded into a frown of concern. "What were you looking for?"

"My locket." Dariana sighed painfully. "After we got back to base I went to get cleaned up and suddenly realised it was gone. The worst part is that I can't even remember if I had it when I first arrived – the past two weeks have been such a blur getting used to everything. If I've lost it…"

"What did it look like?" Swiftly Carter replayed her memories of the attempted abduction, trying to pinpoint if she had noticed anything on the ground that might have been the missing item.

"It's only small, no bigger than a couple of quarters. Gold. It has the Eye of Horus engraved on the front, with an onyx stone as the pupil of the Eye, and on the back it has my parents initials and the date when they were married. There's a couple of pictures inside – the family and my family." Rubbing at her eyes, the linguist sighed heavily. "It's all I have left of them…and if I'm stuck here then it's all I have left of _them_too."

"Oh Dari." Carter reached across to take the other woman's hand, knowing exactly who was meant by 'the family' and 'my family'. "I'm sure it will turn up."

"Yes…of course it will." Smiling weakly, the younger woman looked up. "So, was there something you came for in particular?"

Colouring slightly, Carter cleared her throat before beginning carefully, "The way you dealt with your attacker today…"

"Where did I learn that and how much more do I know, right?" Shaking her head, Dariana smiled. "I'd ask the same thing. Okay, I've been training with Jack, Charles and Teal'c for three years now. Jack also put me in touch with a stunt driver – for defensive and offensive driving - and an experienced undercover agent – to learn little things like how to spot a tail, how to lose them, checking for explosives."

Realising she was on the receiving end of a wide-eyed stare, the brunette shrugged, her expression a mix of pride and sorrow.

"The boys insisted. Jack and Charles were especially vocal about it after one of Apophis' goons grabbed me whilst we were on a mission. They said that if he was that desperate to get me, I needed to know enough self-defence for two things: give time for help to arrive and actually defend myself until help arrived. Teal'c concurred, George got snippy about it too. But Daniel stayed quiet. It wasn't until he dropped me home, just as I was getting out of the car, that he grabbed my wrist and told me to do it. I turned to tell him I'll do what I want when I want, not what people were ordering me to do, but the look in his eyes…"

She paused, taking a deep breath and slowly blinked.

"He was terrified for me. Absolutely terrified. So I agreed. I just wish he'd done some more training himself."

A wave of remembered grief, a brief flash of memory sitting beside an occupied infirmary bed, watching helplessly as the machines breathed for him – it swept over the major as she saw sorrow drop its' shadowed veil over the archaeologist. Tentatively, afraid almost to speak of it because it had so very nearly been permanent, she whispered, "We lost him too."

"What?" Snapping her head up, Dariana stared at the other woman in shock. "But…but…he's…"

"It's a long story…" The blonde sighed.

"I'm not going anywhere…" The brunette affirmed.

So Samantha Carter sat and told the sister of a Daniel Jackson about Sha're, Shifu, Kheb, Oma Desala and a little incident in a place called Kelowna where her dear friend had given his life for the sake of millions. By the time she had finished, both women were in tears.

"That's why you all tensed when I mentioned Jonas…"

"The colonel took a long time to accept him." Sniffing, Carter cast about for the box of tissues she knew had to be in the room somewhere. "He left to help Langara rebuild after the Kelownan's used a naquadria bomb on the other countries."

"And Daniel…"

"Doesn't remember anything about being Ascended. He remembers everything else, although we're pretty sure Oma wiped the pain of dying from his mind. But we're all he has left now – Sha're is dead, Abydos was destroyed by Anubis…" Triumphantly, the major hoisted the box aloft. "Ah…here they are."

"By the Gods…" Dariana snatched a couple of tissues and dabbed at her face. "No wonder he looks at me like that."

"We're all quite protective of him at the moment – it feels like we've only just gotten him back, although it's been a couple of months, and he might get snatched away again."

"It must have been terrible." Dariana started to lean forward to sympathise then jumped up, wild-eyed. "I need to see him."

Carter grabbed a wrist, making Dariana turn to face her as she begged, "Please, Sam!"

"If he had wanted you to know he would have told you himself."

"Then why tell me?"

"Because I wanted you to know that we do understand your grief, Dari, all of us." Fixing her gaze sternly on the younger woman, Carter put enough pressure into her grip that Dariana sat down again. "You aren't alone in your grief here."

"I know…thank you." Dariana started to smile then a flash of horror crossed her face. "Sha're is dead? But…what about the baby?"

Puzzled, Carter replied, "Shifu stays with Oma."

"No." Hazel eyes flashed impatiently. "Dhamir. What about Dhamir?"

"Who?" Aqua eyes narrowed in confusion.

"He wasn't born here?" Dariana suddenly sat back, her tension gone, her expression thoughtful. "Of course he wasn't. And even if he had been, he would have died on Abydos."

"Who's Dhamir?"

"I was on Abydos for two reasons: one to check out the new catacomb Kasuf had found and the other to attend the Naming Ceremony for the baby." Her eyes filling with cool academic professionalism, Dariana shrugged. "I was quite close to his mother and father – friends of the family, cousins by marriage if I remember rightly – and was invited as an honoured guest. If anything happened to the parents, Sha're would have become his mother. He would have been my nephew either way."

"Well, seeing as we're going to get you home, he still is." Carter smiled brightly, missing the flicker of shadow across Dariana's face.

"Yes…he is." Returning her own bright smile, clearing her face of the last of the tears, Dariana rose from the bed and stretched. "Sam, I think I need some chocolate or, at the very least, jello."

Grinning, Carter responded, "I think I can agree with that…though I just want to stop by my lab on the way…"

Dariana just looked at her.

"Let's get something _then_go to your lab."

Carter laughed at herself, shaking her head.

"You're right – food first, work later."

"You never know," Dariana commented as they made their way along the corridor. "We might even find a grouchy colonel, stoic Jaffa and resurrecting archaeologist on the way…"

The grouchy colonel, stoic Jaffa and resurrecting archaeologist were all ready ensconced in Daniel's laboratory – two of them holding large mugs of coffee.

"General Hammond has been informed of the of the contents of the rogue agent's testimony."

Daniel nodded as he sipped his coffee. O'Neill briefly glanced to the door.

"Where's Carter?"

"Sam is still with Dari."

The three men looked at each other.

"So…" O'Neill began. "What do we know?"

"Dariana Jackson is the target of a rogue operation under the auspice of the Trust."

"She's a linguist, archaeologist and, by the looks of it, a pretty efficient fighter."

"Right. We also know that she is genetically a Jackson, has spent time with an SG-1, knows a lot about previous missions and has an uncanny ability for doing what you do, Daniel."

His face assuming his usual expression for when he was sure O'Neill was about to insult him in some way, Daniel inwardly sighed, put his mug down, and took the bait.

"What's that?"

"Getting into trouble." O'Neill turned a stern dark gaze upon his friend that only lightened slightly with amusement when an eyebrow rose above the rim of a pair of glasses. "Well, you do."

"Jack…" Deciding against a rejoinder, the younger man shook his head in mild reproach before continuing, "There is no escaping the fact that Dariana is genetically my sibling. There is also no denying that she is too knowledgeable about us as a team and as individuals to have learnt the information from a file. Of who she is, there's no doubt in my mind."

"There is, however, a concern." Teal'c angled his head toward Daniel. "She is holding back information."

"Yes, I think she is."

"What?"

"As we have experienced situations here that she hasn't, it's entirely likely that the return could be said of her – right? Therefore she _can't_discuss everything with us or it may have an adverse affect upon our reality." Crossing his arms, the linguist frowned. "How she joined the SGC is irrelevant as she doesn't exist in our reality. However, if for example she hadn't met the Nox, to tell her anything about them and then for her to return home…"

"The information could then adversely affect her reality." O'Neill moved to sip at his coffee then paused. "Does she even want to go back?"

"Yes."

Both men were shocked at Daniel's vehemence, glancing at each other in surprise.

"What do you know that we don't?" O'Neill's eyes narrowed as Daniel ducked his head. "Daniel?"

"She wants to go home. That's all I can say about it." He looked up at O'Neill, his cerulean eyes swirling with emotion. As if he knew there was a protest to come, he gave the barest shake of his head - _Not for me to tell so don't ask._ In response, O'Neill's eyebrow twitched - _Okay, if you say so._

Teal'c, his gaze sweeping over the items on the table, felt the wordless conversation taking place rather than seeing it. Patiently, he waited until the other two men were done before frowning at one of the artefacts.

"Is that not reminiscent of the device Colonel Maybourne used to access the Furling portal?"

Immediately O'Neill swung his attention to the item in question, a fierce scowl on his face.

"Oh yeah, let's have a memory trip of being stuck on a moon with only Maybourne for company for nearly two months!" He snarled before suddenly brightening. "Although, I did get to shoot him. Twice."

As Teal'c's face softened in amusement, Daniel's eyebrows knitted together quizzically. O'Neill cocked an eyebrow in return, a smug grin on his lips.

"I'll explain it all later…happily…especially the shooting parts…"

"Oh-kay…" Turning around and surreptitiously shaking his head at the older man, Daniel ran a finger along a shelf of mixed reference books and journals. "Right, Jonas left all his notes here, labelled by month and mission number for my convenience so the right one should be…ah! Here it is…"

He pulled the journal from its place and flicked it open.

"And here are the sketches he made…"

Comparing the sketch to the small, dove-grey oval, all three men could see similarities. They slowly straightened from their perusal, each looking to the others.

"Daniel?"

"Jack?"

"Where did that come from?"

"Dari's pack, from the dig she was on whilst on Abydos."

O'Neill eyed the innocuous looking stone as if it were about to explode.

"And?" He asked, spotting the hesitant shadow in the archaeologists' eyes.

"I don't think it's Furling." Daniel swallowed. "I think it's Ancient."

The stone pinged. The two humans flinched whilst the Jaffa raised an eyebrow in concern.

"Why would Dariana Jackson be in possession of an activated Ancient artefact?"

"Only one way to find out…" O'Neill glanced at the stone then to each of his friends.

Daniel nodded grimly.

"We'll have to ask her."


End file.
